( 338 ) [April, 



REVIEWS. 



THE GEOLOGICAL SUBVEY OF INDIA.* 



It cannot but be considered highly creditable to the East India 

 Company, that during their rule over that great limb of the British 

 Empire, Hindostan, they did not neglect projects which had reference 

 to the future permanent benefit of the whole country, but of whose 

 immediate utility in a mercantile point of view there could be little 

 prospect. The establishment of a Trigonometrical Survey, to be fol- 

 lowed in course of time, after the example of the mother-country, 

 by a Geological Survey, could scarcely be looked upon as likely to be 

 a good investment for capital (so to speak) at the time when these 

 Surveys were projected. Yet even now they are bearing fruit, in 

 giving facilities for laying out lines of railway, for the sale of public 

 lands, and for defining the limits of formations producing coal, iron, 

 and other minerals. The value of such undertakings to the cause of 

 science and the advancement of the arts need not be insisted upon 

 here ; so general is the recognition of the importance of good Topo- 

 graphical and Geological Surveys, that there is scarcely a country in 

 Europe and America, or a dependency of the British Empire, where 

 they have not been originated and sustained by their respective 

 Governments. 



The Geological Survey of India has been in existence about 

 seventeen years, under the superintendence of Dr. Oldham, who 

 previous to his appointment had the advantage of several years' ex- 

 perience as Director of the Geological Survey of Ireland. His staff 

 of assistants has been gradually augmented, and is largely drawn 

 from that country ; and it is somewhat remarkable, that in looking 

 through the Report of Dr. Oldham, we do not recognize the name of 

 a single Scotchman ! We do not, of course, venture upon so rash an 

 inference as that amongst the dozen officers or so of the Indian 

 Survey, there is not one single native of that fortunate country, which 

 supplies men to most of the good appointments all over the world. 

 We trust, indeed, that such is not the case, as it would speak but ill 

 for the prospects of the Indian Survey. 



The Geological Survey is now at work in three distinct regions of 

 the Indian Peninsula, about equally distant from each other. During 



* ' On the Geological Structure of the Districts of Trichinopoly, Salem, and 

 South Arcot.' By "William King, junior, and E. Bruce Foote. Calcutta: Thacker. 

 London : Williams & Norgate. 



' On the Structure and Relations of the Southern Portion of the Himalayan 

 Ranges between the Rivers Ganges and Eavee.' By H. B. Medlicott, A B., F.G.S. 

 Same publishers. 



' Annual Report of the Geological Survey of India for the year 1863-4.' By 

 Thomas Oldham, LL.D., Superintendent. Calcutta : O. T. Cutter. 



