310 TJte Annricdii (iroJiKjisf. NovfiiilxT, !>'«•,' 
in;i[)s now hciiiii" C'Oii.slnicU'd liy llic ( icological survey, arc not 
(.•lainu'd to ho snitcd for anything else than g('oh)gical purposes, 
and arc not distril)utod as topoorapliical maps. They wouhl not 
do credit to the country should tlicv lie distriliuted as such; iiud 
it may not lie too niucii to say that ultinuftciy the}' will be dis- 
ctirdcd even for geological purposes, and the geological structure 
will have to he delineated again on more accurate maps. 
."). The diversion of the funds jjiovided for the yeologUal xnr- 
n 1/ of the Uuited States into the construction of a topographical 
map. It may 1)e said, with a seml)Iance of truth, that a correct 
geological map cannot l)e uiade without a firevious topographical 
map. But the word correct here is susceptil)le of shades of 
nu'aning. >Iany "correct'" geological maps have been made 
without any prt'vious topographical mapping. For the purposes 
for which the geological survey was created, very simple maps 
<'oul(l lie constructed, and, as defined in the original law, they 
would 'illustrate the mineral resources and the classification of 
huuls.- 
(). However necessary a toi^ographical map may he to a geo- 
logical map of the United States, it was not contemplated in the 
act of Congress which estalilished the (Jeological survey, nor in 
subsequent appropriations till 18H(!, when the appropriation was 
made after a lengthy investigation, when the affairs of the Coast 
and (icodetic survey were in a very unsettlecl condition; and when 
the Geological survey, under the impetuous lead of an energetic 
director, had secured from a committee of the National Academy 
of Science a recommt'iidation not to disturb the status ([nn of the 
survey. 
Both these surveys now are adi'quately manned, and we are 
confidi'Ut that the plan of the National Academy of Science 
should be full}^ carried out by such legislation as would transfer 
the entire outfit and all the employes of the topographical branch 
of the Oeological survey to the -'Coast and Interior survey."' 
and the whole to the Department of the Interior. There should 
be such coordination that in no case would there he a duplication 
of the work. The Geological survey should follow the work of 
the mensuration survey ■ — so far as its mapping is concerned — and 
in the meantime it should concern itself with the investigation of 
such scientific and economic problems as the geology of the coun- 
try presents — and they are myriad. 
