BRITISH ASSOCIATION MEETING. 



443 



and never can I forget how admirably we were presided over by a nobleman* 

 as distinguished by his ability and learning as he was beloved for his philan- 

 thropy and public spirit, and who had upon his right hand the illustrious 

 Dalton. Looking to the character and influence of that philosopher, I may 

 truly say that, as he was one of our founders when we first met together 

 at York, we owe through him a deep debt of gratitude to Manchester ; for 

 Dalton was one of the few eminent men who at our birth stood sponsor for our 

 future career, and who supported us at many a subsequent meeting. 



In our present visit we are most happy to see placed at our head one of the 

 scientific men of Manchester, who exhibits in his own person the cheering ex- 

 ample of the great success which can be attained by the steady and judicious 

 application of science to the improvement of our manufactures. And if Eng- 

 land is to hold her own lofty position in great measure through the superior 

 strength of the metal derived from inexhaustible masses of iron-ore which occur 

 in many of her geological formations, we cannot but regard William Fairbairn 

 as the individual who, united at first with the late Eaton Hodgkinson, through 

 a long series of ingenious experiments, as detailed in the volumes of this 

 Association, not only laid the basis for the erection of the Menai Bridge, and 

 such tubular constructions, but who is now directing the manufacture of those 

 iron plates which may best resist the most powerful artillery, whether in casing 

 our ships, or in strengthening our fortresses. 



I need not re-affirm that all the men of science who have flocked hither from 

 distant places rejoice with his townsmen in serving under such a man. 



Lastly, let me say that we of the Geological Section, who are gathered toge- 

 ther from remote parts, have solid grounds for satisfaction in being greeted here 

 by so many good and active brother workmen of the Geological Society of 

 Manchester, who have done such honour to their town, not only by the esta- 

 blishment of a rich and instructive Museum, in which many of the subjects we 

 are met to discuss are thoroughly illustrated, but who have also, by their pub- 

 lications, contributed much to advance our science. 



GEOLOGY OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF MANCHESTER. 



Mr. E. W.Binney, F.R.S., F.G.S., described the several beds of gravel, sand, 

 and till, forming the superficial covering of the district : — 1st. The valley gravel, 

 with its successive terraces; 2nd. The widely-distributed upper sand and 

 gravel ; 3rd. The great deposit of boulder-clay or till, which is at some places 

 ninety feet thick ; 4th. A lower bed of gravel. The underlying rocks known 

 chiefly by boring operations, were — 1st. The trias, or upper red series, about 

 five hundred feet thick ; 2nd. The lower new red or Permian series, six hun- 

 dred feet. These overlie the coal measures, and have been pierced in search 

 for coal at Medlock Yale and elsewhere to the lower Permian beds of York- 

 shire. The lower bed of conglomerate is found to thicken out northward in 

 Cumberland and Scotland to some thousand feet in thickness. 3rd. The coal 

 measures of the Manchester coal field, as proved by borings, and by the few 

 local exposures at Ardwick and elsewhere. All of these are exceedingly dis- 

 located, one fault having certainly a down-throw of one thousand and fifty 

 yards. 



* Lord Francis Egerton, afterwards the Earl of Ellesmere. 



