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of those Public Works which deal with the very conformation and 

 substance of the earth's surface. Canals, railways, docks, works of 

 drainage, and other town improvements, are things which make 

 Geology one of the most important and practical of all the sciences 

 that mark our time. To stop now to point out wherein the science 

 of Geology is necessary in every one of these classes of works, is 

 quite unnecessary. Every one knows that the kind and the dip of 

 the Strata are things on which every work of the sort depends, and 

 in the management and adaptation of which the skill of the engineer 

 is shown. We have not, now, the smallest public work done in a 

 little country town, hardly a building of any pretensions put up, but 

 the Surveyor's or Engineer's report professes, at the least, to give 

 one section to the " Geological features." I am sorry to be obliged 

 to say that, while we have thus abundant proof of a knowledge of 

 the importance of this science, such Eeports very often contain 

 lamentable proof that the knowledge has halted here. An Associa- 

 tion which gives the means of interchanging experience, and of 

 bringing together facts, and comparing these, cannot, therefore, but 

 be of very great public service ; while the opportunities which those 

 engaged on works of these sorts have, of observing facts and collect- 

 ing illustrations, will be far more likely to be made good use of by 

 them when an Association like the present opens its doors to them, 

 than when facts and observations, however carefully made, have little 

 chance of ever doing other than remain buried in the note-book. 

 An impulse may hence be expected to be given to Geological science, 

 that will be of first-rate importance, as well to the verification of 

 conclusions already drawn, as to the settling of problems that are 

 admitted to stand open, and, even further, to the opening of fields 

 which have been as yet little worked — in some cases perhaps hardly 

 suspected to exist. "What we want," says Mr. Salter, in a late 

 number of an able publication devoted to this science, — " what we 

 want, in the present state of Geology, is abundance of good facts ; 

 and these can only be collected by tRe industry of local observers, 

 who will communicate these results in a tangible form, available for 

 the workers on particular subjects. . . . There is no pleasure," he 

 adds, " so great as in working for a definite object, with the cer- 

 tainty that your results, however small, will aid in attaining it. 

 Many a holiday may be most profitably occupied (which would 



