43 
“In December an application was received from the Board of School Teachers of 
Elora, Ontario, to be supplied with a geological collection for the use of the public school, 
and a set of typical Canadian rocks, minerals, and fossils, comprising 277 specimens, 
properly named and catalogued, was prepared and sent.” 
In the Report of Progress for 1878-79 he states that: 
“Twenty-eight collections of Canadian rocks and minerals, containing together about 
2,477 specimens, have been selected, labelled, and catalogued by Mr. Willimott, for 
distribution to educational institutions in all parts of the Dominion.” 
During the last fiscal year (1926-7) 263 collections, comprising many 
thousands of specimens of minerals, rocks, and fossils, were distributed. 
1907-1920 
Viewed superficially the quarter century from 1880 until 1905 was a 
period of growth and tranquillity for the Geological Survey. It had 
become a permanently established institution, located at the seat of govern- 
ment of the country. Its functions had broadened steadily, as may be 
seen by comparing the acts of 1872, 1877, and 1890. It was increasing in 
size of staff and financial support. The appropriations for 1880, 1885, 
1890, 1895, and 1900 were respectively $60,000, $93,252.97, $117,430, 
$129,054.51, and $118,783.98. Nevertheless, conditions were developing 
almost imperceptibly which were to have important and disturbing con- 
sequences for the Survey and for its museum. Considering the extra- 
ordinary growth and changes which have taken place in Canada since 
1840 the Geological Survey has adapted itself to the changing needs of 
the country in a satisfactory manner. There have been a few times, 
however, when it has reacted slowly to changing external conditions and 
on these occasions its retarded readjustment has been attended with some 
disruptive consequences. 
The period between Confederation and 1907 was ushered in with a 
huge expansion of Canadian territory and the task, on the part of the 
Geological Survey, to collect the most diversified information about this 
new territory — its geography, mineral resources, climate, flora and fauna, 
native inhabitants, forests, waterpowers, etc. To perform this great task 
Survey officers had to be surveyors, geologists, mineralogists, botanists, 
zoologists, and practical engineers of sorts. But during this period Canada 
was undergoing great changes. At the time of Confederation mining was 
confined mainly to Nova Scotia, the vicinity of the Great Lakes and St. 
Lawrence river, and to placer gold mining in British Columbia. There are 
no dependable statistics available, but the production was small. How- 
ever, mineral production grew quickly. In 1886 it was worth $10,221,255, 
in 1890,116,763,353, in 1895, $20,505,917, and by 1900 had mounted to 
$64,420,877. Population had nearly doubled, and the amount of money 
invested in manufactures — an expression of the industrialization of the 
country — had increased sixfold. 
Educational standards had increased greatly. Great progress was 
being made in geological science, especially in America, where knowledge 
concerning the country was accumulating so fast that specialization in 
various parts of the science was becoming unavoidable. Also, the great 
task of exploring western and northern Canada had been prosecuted since 
1867 with such energy and enthusiasm that, although it was by no means 
completed, the immediate need of the country for railway construction, 
