Frazer on Int. Cong, of Geologists. 3 
the material illustrating the state and local geology of the coun- 
try, the local interest and effort may die out, and that ultimately 
the weight of public sentiment favoi'able to geologic investiga- 
tion may suffer diminution. Such a result, besides retarding 
the general advance of geologic interests, would inevitably react 
on the national survey itself. It is hoped by the promoters of 
The American Geologist that its influence may serve to per- 
petuate the general interest in geological investigation, and that 
with this view, the numerous workers on the national survey 
may lend the enterprise their countenance and support. The 
editors of this journal pledge to them and to all geologists of 
whatever school or party, that The American Geologist 
shall he conducted on a plane of judicial impartiality, above the 
influence of factions and of personal or local controvers}-. The 
existence of an avenue through which the local interests of geol- 
ogy throughout the country may find expression, and through 
which the contributions to science that emanate from the labo- 
ratories and libraries of numerous students, may be laid before 
their fellow workers, will serve as a stimulus to local investiga- 
tion, promote the interests of general intelligence and strengthen 
that basis of popular appreciation on which every public scien- 
tific enterprise — state or national — ultimately rests. 
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND ACTS OF THE 
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF GEOLOGISTS, AND 
OF THE AMERICAN COMMITTEE DELEGATES TO IT. 
by persifor frazer. 
Origin of the Committee. 
At the Buffalo meeting of the A. A. A. S. (of 1876) the 
Standing Committee of the association offered to the genera, 
session the following: 
Resolved, that a committee of the association be appointed to consider 
the propriety of holding an international congress of geologists at Paris 
during the international exhibition of 1S78, for the purpose of getting 
together comparative collections, maps, and sections and for the settling 
