Rossiter W. Raymond 



coveries made by Blake and King in 

 the country-rock of known gold-mines 

 were conclusive. The question of 

 priority as to these discoveries, involv- 

 ing, as it does, the date not only of 

 the discovery, but also of the first 

 public announcement and the first 

 publication thereof, is really trivial ; 

 at least, it will not be discussed here. 

 The record of science is not that of a 

 patent law-suit, in which mere priority 

 governs important rights of property ; 

 and neither Blake nor King needed 

 to rest his claims to scientific recog- 

 nition upon a controversy so unim- 

 portant. 



His connection with the California 

 Survey lasted until near the end of 

 1866 ; but during that period he was 

 twice loaned, so to speak, for other 

 service — once to the Mariposa Mining 

 Company and once to the United 

 States. The latter episode occurred in 

 the winter of 1865-66, when he acted 

 329 



