Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-01-09

initiation by surrendering their iudg
ment to yours, and this they will no
do. But make twenty-five bushels o
wheat, where they only make ten, ane
let them see numerous instances O
this, and they will soon come to.
think therefore the agriculture of the
State, is in progressively improving
condition, and that ere long the bene.
fetal effects will be generally felt and
acknowledged.
In the meantime, il has been ascer.
tanned from the very superficial exam.
nations the State has received, that
ITS mineral resources are not surpass.
ed by those of any State in the Union;
and yet nothing has been done to de-
velope them, and make them part OF
the active wealth Of the country. Does
this supineness proceed from rational
doubts that the result would beproblem-
aticaR What evidence, and whence
derived, have we Of the probability of
thlsi Public patronage has not yet
been extended to any branch of this
important object; aud private enter
prise, where it has been guided by
sound discretion, as the instance of the
bitumlnous coal pits of Chesterfield
county, has been brilliantly rewarded.
But let us suppose the whole district
in which this valuable coal field is stu
ated, to have been so deeply covered
with other mineral substances, that
no external indications had presented
themselves, and that the coal, as FIRE.
quently occurs, laid below the depth
of the wells of the country, and we
may fairly suppose that, that coal field
would not have been discovered unto
this day. In the absence of public
patronage and private enterprise, the
same supineness that condemns so ma.
ny other mineral products to their sub.
terranean obscurity, would have also
included it. But nature there gave
a hint that could not be mistaken; the
coal cropped out conspicuously on the
surface, and could not be neglected.
May we not reasonably conclude then,
that other coal fields, now hidden, but
lying contiguous to the navigable wa.
ters Of Virginia, exist Certainly, as
far as my observations have gone,
there are many encouraging indlca-
lions Of such deposites. And what is
here said of coal, may be said Of salt
and other valuable mineral substances
on both sides of the mountains. How
are any of them to be found out if they
are not looked for, and by persons
trained and accustomed to investiga.
tons of that kind!
The cultivation Of the science Of ge-
ology has produced this immutable
truth, that all the mineral and metallic
substances in the earth are not acci.
dentally and irregularly distributed
where they are found, but that they
have been brought into their places
by laws as Interchangeable as any other
natural laws. Hence, the practical
geologist, familiar with the structure of
the crust Of the earth, is able to say,
from the inspection of any one of its
numerous beds, what its relation is to
any Of the other beds: whether, for in
stance, it is above, or whether il is
below the coal, and this with as much
accuracy as he can tell whether any
particular letter of the alpha betical
column is, when in its proper place,
above any other given letter, or below
it. Without this knowledge, he might
dig for coal, for salt, or any other SUBJ
stance, through rocks lying far be-
meath the proper place belonging to
those minerals in the crust Of the earth.
And this has often been done, to the
great loss and disappointment Of the
undertakes. II is thus that geology
enables us to apply our acquaintance
with the laws Of nature TO purposes in
tended to be conducive to the prosperi-
ty of the human race.
Since, tn, n, unquestiorcd indications
exist in various parts of Virginia, Of
coal, of iron, Of gold and silver, of
copper, of salt, of lead, and of other
mineral and metallic substances, can
any satisfactory reason be given, why
the State should not engage in the ex.
ecution of a project of such incalcu-
liable importance TO her prosperity, as
detailed geological investigation OF
her whole territory, and the subse-
quent construction of a geological map,
| upon which, of a commensurate scale,
the exact localities of all her metals,
and fossil manures should be accurate
| ly laid down; with their geographical
elevation, their direction and bearing,
their extent and qualities! Will it be
disputed, that map of this character
accompanied with lucid detailed re.
port, constructed by competent persons
from personal investigation, would be
| invaluable, and do honor to the period
when its construction was authorized