6 



spirited men to become members of tbe Association. What we want to 

 effect our purpose is organisation, and the free and willing labour of all 

 our members. 



The work must be one of time, slowly, steadily, and systematically 

 carried on, because it is to be continuous and enduring in its fruits. It will 

 require the'services of a committee of the Association to set it in action, so 

 that local committees, or sections of the members, may be arranged, and 

 that the mode of working may be properly devised. Where we have only 

 a few members in a district our endeavours must be limited to a few useful 

 ends, but as our members increase we may undertake more minute en- 

 quiries. Each local section should have a secretary for this department 

 of research, and perhaps a functionary in the nature of the rapporteur 

 of the French academies, already known in our scientific circles as a 

 reporter, who will have to draw up the yearly report of the labors of his 

 colleagues. 



The first duty of a section is an easy one, because the materials arc in 

 the libraries of the members, and that is to report on the state of the Geo- 

 logical Survey and records of their district. Their next task is to con- 

 sider what deficiencies have to be supplied, and what objects of enquiry 

 are open to them. In some districts they will find but little is needed, ex- 

 cept to record new discoveries as they arise, but in most they will find that 

 there is a wide field for minute delineation of the geological features of 

 which the Ordnance maps only give the broad outlines, in some cases com- 

 pressing the history of thousands of years, and the details of several strata 

 within one coloured band. As greater strength is obtained, and the zeal 

 of our members is encouraged, we shall obtain an extent of record not yet 

 reached by any Government .or in any country; for it is to be hoped the 

 time will come when each superficial indication will be portrayed, and the 

 township and parish maps of the Tithe Commutation Survey be made avail- 

 able for the registration of the geological features. 



Thus, as has been shown by the careful collection of facts, we shall lay 

 a sound basis for generalisation ; we shall be able to authenticate or correct 

 the rough outlines of our geological maps, and we shall give the man of 

 science sound data on which to base the minutest enquiries. These maps 

 will, like those of the Geological Survey, be accompanied by detailed re- 

 ports of each district, giving its geological history and condition, and af- 

 fording a basis for the aggregation of new facts. Thus we shall have in 

 time authentic geological reports of each township and of each superficial 

 formation. 



The yearly reports of the sections and committees will furnish this As- 

 sociation with a mass of facts invaluable to geological science and of na- 

 tional importance, assisting and extending the Government Survey, and 

 creating for this Association a solid reputation. Thus we shall become one 

 of the recognised scientific bodies, and attain a degree of influence which 

 will increase our means of doing good. It will be readily seen that for the 

 promotion of such a great object we shall not only have sympathy but sup- 

 port, for all those interested in the practical applications of geology will , 

 on public or private grounds, give us their co-operation ; and the number of 

 these are many, for they include persons interested in agriculture, mining, 

 building materials, and in all the resources of our soil. As our labors 

 will have a practical result, so will they receive practical support. There 

 is not a landowner of any position but who knows the value of efforts which, 

 by increasing knowledge, add to the value of the surface of his land, or make 

 known resources in its substrata. Thus, too, that large and important 

 class of scientific agriculturists, the new profession as it may be termed of 

 farmers, have an interest in our success, for some distant discovery may be 

 the means of providing fresh supplies of limes, sulphates, phosphates, and 

 Of the valuable mineral constituents of the cultivable soil. To the archi- 

 tect and engineer the investigation of stone, slate, marble, clay, cement, 



