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aid has been already almost indispensable, and the manner in 

 which it is now brought forward in connexion with geological 

 phenomena will not only guide mining operations, but elevate 

 geological science from the mere study of fossil shells, &c, to 

 that of the sublime in magnitude, utility and moral good. 



A geological investigation has been recently undertaken by 

 the author in Ireland to determine the following points for 

 certain parties ; viz. first, whether limestone existed in a cer- 

 tain locality or not, where stones had been found, and a con- 

 siderable sum offered for the undiscovered limestone ; secondly, 

 to ascertain whether mineral could be expected in a place which 

 was considered^ but somewhat vaguely, parallel to a neigh- 

 bouring rich mine ; and, thirdly, if coal existed in a certain 

 place where workings were actually carried on in search of 

 it. No miner, with all his practical experience, and aided with 

 the present state of geological science, could determine the 

 above points with any degree of satisfaction, without consider- 

 able time, labour and expense ; but, by the assistance and proper 

 application of the above principle, the questions were not only 

 decided in a few days, but in such a manner as to remove all 

 doubts in the minds of the interested parties. Our geological 

 maps are very useful to persons in a new district, to give a ge- 

 neral idea of the formation, but they are of little assistance in 

 the investigation of the details ; in order to make them of use 

 to mining operations generally, a systematic survey should be 

 made of the laminae, faults, fractures, metalliferous rocks, &c. in 

 England and Ireland, expressly confined to this object:" this 

 would not only be of great importance to mining, but of national 

 benefit. 



General Engineering. 



The application of this principle to engineering is so obvious 

 as scarcely to require comment. No work of any magnitude can 

 be undertaken in which excavations, cuttings, tunnelling are not 

 necessary ; and these operations generally constitute the most 

 formidable items of expense, and depend entirely on local cir- 

 cumstances, such as the structure of the rocks, compactness, frac- 

 tures, faults, &c, which, without some knowledge of them, can 

 never be properly appreciated or understood. Indeed the ap- 



