456 International Geological Congress. 



the center under which are the words " Geologorum conventus 

 — mente et malleo;" and on the reverse — "Berlin, 1885." 



The formal opening of the Congress took place Tuesday morn- 

 ing, September 20th, at 11 o'clock, at the House of Deputies. 



At this meeting, Professor Capellini, of Italy, occupied the 

 chair as President of the Congress at Bologna. 



On his right was Dr. von Dechen and M. Hauchecorne, on 

 the left Professor Beyrich and Professor Hall. 



On the ministerial benches on the right were the diplomatic 

 and government officers, and on the left the vice-presidents, 

 representing various countries. 



Professor Capellini introduced the " Cultus-Minister," Herr 

 von Gossler, who welcomed the Congress in German.* 



Herr von Gossler dwelt upon the fact that no science could 

 proceed in any direction without calling to its aid the assistance 

 of the other sciences. He noted the advantage which had 

 accrued to astromomy by this course. He reminded his hear- 

 ers that Prussia had been the home of von Buch and von 

 Humboldt, and in the name of the Prussian government he 

 warmly appreciated the honor conferred upon Berlin by its 

 choice as their place of meeting, and bade them welcome with 

 the miner's greeting " Gliick auf." He added humorously, that 

 as the facts of geology rest upon the results of the action of 

 water, he knew the present weather would not deter the true 

 geologist from his work. 



Dr. von Dechen then read his address in French, beginning 

 with thanks to the members for having elected him honorary 

 President. He called to mind the names of many men of Euro- 

 pean science of a past generation, specifying among them some 

 of the greatest with whom he had been intimate in Paris, in 

 London and in Germany. He stated that much had been done 

 in Geology since the last Congress at Bologna, and much still 

 remained to be done. After thanking the government for its 

 kind reception of the guests, he concluded by expressing the 

 high appreciation of the people of Berlin of the honor done 

 them by the Congress in meeting in their midst. 



Professor Capellini then addressed the Congress. His first 

 words were that he owed the honor of occupying the chair to the 

 fact of his having been chosen to preside over the Congress at 

 Bologna. He sketched the origin and history of the Congress 

 from the time of its inception by the committee of the Ameri- 

 can Association for the Advancement of Science in 1876, 

 through the Paris sessions in 1878 and the Bologna Congress of 

 1881, and mentioned particularly the very friendly attitude 

 which his Majesty, the king of Italy, had assumed toward its 



* By the action of the Congress at Bologna the language of its debates is 

 French. 



