1880. ] Scientific News. 69 
the War or Interior Department and the surveys of the Land 
Office, and to report to Congress as soon thereafter as may be 
practicable, a plan for surveying and mapping the Territories of 
the United States on such general system as will, in their judg- 
ment, secure the best results at the least possible cost? The plan 
set forth by the committee, besides having direct reference to the 
Territories, had in view that economy of expenditure, suggested 
in the act of Congress; while the new scheme, with the proposed 
enlargement of its scope, would involve—as State geological sur- 
veys have shown—millions of outlay for the strictly geological 
part, and indefinite millions besides for the economical branch— 
the study of ‘the mineral resources and products of the National 
Domain,’ ‘ and the States. 
“The writer is not informed as to the character of the discus- 
sion over the proposed amendment in the House of Representa- 
tives. But it seems to be plain, from the change of wording, that 
the meaning intended to be conveyed by it was that the director 
“may extend his examination into States’ which adjoin Territo- 
ries. There is an evident absurdity in an expression which adds 
the States—nearly the whole country—to the Territories. Had 
the general survey of the United States been intended by the 
House, the idea would have been brought out by the simple sub- 
stitution of the words United States for ‘ National Domain.’ ” 
rof. Dana also adds: “ A change so great in the administra- 
tion of the affairs of the Government should have a full discus- 
resources of the States, whether of a mine or of a granite quarry, 
Would be followed by other evils through encroachments on pri- 
vate rights, and the temptations to favor private enterprises. Lhe — 
General Government, unlike many in foreign lands, has no owner- à 
ship in the mines of California or of any other of the States, and 
“in has no need to establish a Mining Bureau for the country 
at large.” 2 oo 
, Coming from the source it does, this is a weighty protest, and- 
48s in the line of criticism adopted by this journal? While the 
U.S. Geological Surveys under Hayden, Powell and the U. 
Engineers, Lieut. Wheeler in charge, were confining their att 
tion to developing our knowledge of the natural resources Of | 
Western Territories, with excellent results already accomplished 
and with a great mass of unpublished material for valuable final 
reports which will now probably never see the light; all this was 
, AMERICAN NATURALIST, May, 1879, p- 343» August number, p. 535- : 
