The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-12 00:00:00

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

(IRELAND.)
Return to an Order of the Honourable the House of
Commons, dated April 22, 1845, for a Copy `•of the
Correspondence between the Lords Commissioners of
the Treasury and the Commissioners of Woods and
Forests, relative to the Geological Survey of Ireland,
and the Treasury Minute thereupon.
COPY OF TREASURY MINUTE, DATED DEC. 27, 1844.
Sir Robert Peel states to the Board that various re
presentations have been addressed to him as to the im-
portance of effectually prosecuting and completing a
geological survey of Great Britain and Ireland, for which
sums have been from time to time voted in the Ordnance
estimates, in connexion with the trigonometrical survey
in progress under that department.
That upon communication with persons the most dis-
tinguished for their geological knowledge on the one
hand, and with the Master-General of the Ordnance on
the other, he is confirmed in the opinion that a geolo-
gical survey has no direct connexion with the survey
conducted by that board ; and that although among the
engineer officers employe upon the latter many may be
found who, from having given attention to geological
subjects, may be qualified for its execution, Jet that
upon the w hole, considering the inconvenience to which
the union of the two surveys has in some instances
given rise, it appears more advisable that the conduct of
it should be withdrawn from the military department,
and that it should be separately conducted under the
direction of persons who have made this branch of
science more particularly their study ; and Sir Robert
Peel further deems it advantageous that it should be
brought into direct connexion with the Museum of
Economic Geology, for which sums have been latterly
voted by Parliament, and the extension of which is an
object of general interest and importance.
My Lords agree in the view which Sir Robert Peel
has taken of this subject; and think it expedient that a
separate estimate should be prepared and submitted to
Parliament, of the total sum required for the geological
survey of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the sum
which it may be annually advisable to allot to this
object.
As my Lords deem it advisable to connect this survey
with the museum of economic geology, it will be neces-
sary to add to the estimate such sum as may be neces-
sary to provide an adequate building in London and in
Dublin respectively, calculated at once to afford facility
-for inspection by the public, which the present building
does not offer, and ready means of information to those
engaged in scientific pursuits.
Considering that the Museum in London has been
from its foundation under the direction of the Commis-
sioners of Woods and Forests, my Lords deem it ad-
visable that all matters relating to the geological survey
should in future be committed to the superintendence of
the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests, under
the control of this Board.

Write, therefore, to the First Commissioner of Woods
and Forests, acquainting him with his views of my
Lords; and request that, if his Lordship has no objec-
tion to undertake these duties, he would submit to my
Lords his opinion as to the persons by whom it would
be advisable that the survey should be conducted : as to
the expense that it may be necessary annually to incur
in the prosecution of it ; and as to the sum required for
the establishment and maintenance of the museum in
London and in Dublin, to which my Lords have already
adverted.

LETTER FROM C. E. TREVELYAN, ESQ., TO THE EARL OF