538 On the Local and Relative Geology of Singapore, [June? 



tion, and the very moderate effects of these causes ; the apparent con- 

 tinuity of some of the hill beds of sand and clay in adjacent hollows, 

 having a ferruginous and torrified appearance in the former, while in 

 the latter they are not distinguishable from soft modern alluvium ; and 

 lastly, some remarkable cases of the elevation of soft alluvial and vege- 

 table deposits agreeing in their character with beds now forming in the 

 Island or along its shores.* Unfortunately the non-observation hitherto 

 of any organic remains, while it is perhaps a reason for assigning a 

 higher antiquity to the soft rocks above mentioned than their general 

 appearance seems to claim, renders it very difficult to compare them 

 with the observations of European Geologists, or to ascertain whether 

 they can be made to occupy any determinate place in their systems, 

 This last enquiry is however of the least importance for the present, 

 and if entered upon before the phenomena of this locality, (so far 

 removed from any of which the geology is, in any considerable measure, 

 understood,) have been minutely and faithfully studied by themselves, 

 is more likely to mislead than to aid research. I may state however 

 that, in the present state of our knowledge, the only European system 

 with which the rocks of Singapore, notwithstanding the apparently 

 recent origin of some of them, can he miner alogically compared, is the 

 New Red standstone. The sandstones, clays, marls, (noncalcareous) 

 and shales, in many respects resemble the same rocks of that system. 

 The rareness, if not the absence, of fossils, is a striking circumstance, 

 and even if the two formations be remote in time from each other (for 

 no chronological conclusion can be drawn from merely lithological cha- 

 racters), points to the existence of anologous conditions during the 

 periods of their respective accumulation. 



If we now recur to the present superficial igneous and ferruginous 

 deposits of Singapore, the only remaining question under our hypo- 

 thesis would be, whether their superposition on the hills (to which they 

 are confined) took place before or after the emergence of the latter from 

 the sea. In other words, was the present configuration of the Island 



* It is to be remarked however, that in a climate like that of Singapore, clay rocks 

 and aluminous sandstones at or near the surface, unless highly indurated, are liable to 

 become soft. The age of the elevation of the Island will be more fully considered in the 

 paper on the straits, in connection with several instances of recent elevation occurring 

 along its borders where the evidence is of a more satisfactory nature, being derived from 

 organic remains. 



