REPORT 



Gentlemen, 



I beg leave to present the following report of the geo- 

 logical reeonnoissance of the state of Virginia, authorized by an act 

 of the legislature, bearing date March 6th, 1835, with the execution 

 of which I have had the honour to be entrusted. 



In the prosecution of this duty, while my attention has not been 

 withheld from such observations of a minute and detailed descrip- 

 tion as opportunities occasionally threw in my way, it has been 

 chiefly directed to the legitimate objects of such a reeonnoissance, 

 namely, the general geological and mineralogical features of all the 

 important divisions of our territory, with a view to exhibit the 

 benefits to be derived from a detailed survey, and the mode of con- 

 ducting it best adapted to develop the structure and resources of 

 the state. Although in the course of these inquiries many new ob- 

 servations have been made calculated to prove extensively advan- 

 tageous, numerous matured discoveries were not to be anticipated, 

 considering either the design of the reeonnoissance or the very 

 general nature of the investigations which are appropriate to an 

 examination strictly preliminary in its character. Inquiries of a 

 more minute description, extended to all the divisions of the state, 

 would obviously have been impossible, and until some scheme 

 of systematic investigation in detail is put in operation, compara- 

 tively of little value. With such views, it is thought that the objects 

 of the reeonnoissance are accomplished, in exhibiting the prominent 

 geological features of the great divisions of the state, the more im- 

 portant natural resources dependent upon their mineral structure, 

 and in pointing out in relation to each the various desiderata to 

 which future inquiry may be beneficially directed. 



MODE OP CONDUCTING THE RECONNOISSANCE. 



With the view of exhibiting clearly the geological structure and 

 relative extent of the various formations in the state, as far as ascer- 



