New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-24

| peculiarly helpful mincralogy, and ana the early
volumes rich In articles ON this subject Professor
Sman original contributions to science were more IN
chemistry and geology, but me- as Is the author or sGy
CIH important papers mncralOgy, and was the dis
covcrer OF tine occurrence oi natye tungso acid os
mineral species For more than my years he continue
proi--orshp. IN SOB he had the satisfacuon 10 have
geology Professor James D. Dana. VINO wa. u.rcb'E,
among the foremost mincralosists Of the day ana
Ia this profc.sor-hip have done much for the ad-
| Nancemcnt OF mincralOgy.
PIONEER INVESTIGATIONS.
1t viii be inferred from what has been said OF these
pioneers that the Developments and discoveries of min
erals during the first twenty years Of the century
were due entirely Individual enthusiasm and private
enterprise Up to this time aid had been received
/ from either state or National Governments, and IN
are llcd with wonder and admiration at the energy
and rare devotion 10 science exhibited. Tho larger
portion OF the continent unnrOkcn wilderness,
and the facilities OF communication even IN the settled
parts ~ the country were lhe most primitive cHnI
transportation. many Hiturai-s would hesitate to IN
dcrtke the long journeys then made for purely scientific
/ purposes Gcoiof-ts rs well ~ mncriogst3 viii
recall how much science 50 indebted to such men a.
William Mac,urc James Pierce, Thomas Nnttau tine
botanis and others who mnde extensive trips through
the whole territory east and in some Instances to the
west OF me Ml'-1ripp River Mcclure NOT ony , He
voted his time ANA money 10 making ana Puoli'hhS
scoog M survey OF the United states ana Cahaaa thn
first report which made In l-O9, but 10 him the
Academy OF Natural Sciences. in Philadelphia, owes its
first endowment. shall be- pardoncd trust, if men
ton stil another instance OF private beray in this
connection. General stephen Van Rensselaer, OF New
e. Ill., rri "a i iii, H. ~ ,in, oP a. icaI
section from Lake Eric to tho eastern coast or Massa-
General Va Rensselaer, WAS also founder OF the first
school OF technical science I'm this country Renssc
lacr Polytechnic Institute. at Troy waich placed
under The charge of Professor Eaton II may be inter
csting here, these days of summer schools to recall
although parcntict icaly that what was probably the
nr,t SUMMER school oil science the United states
established than fy years ago in connection with
this institution. Tho school cons 7tcd OF hotila OF
towed canal boats, ANA te route was rom Troy To axe
Erie. It took two months for the trip and visited all
important points the way instruction by lectures
Botany, Zooogy, Chemistry, Experimental Philosophy
and Practical Mathematics particularly Land survey
ing Iarbor Surveying aud Engineering. ono Of the
largest the otilla lifted mp laboratory
tic books ior reference students We're taught the
method Of procuring specimens. and were required ~
make collections OF Whatever was Interesting on thc
lhc public mind was finally awakened 10 the inpor-
lance Of toe work which these c& plotcrs and nyoot
now came To- the aid Of -ccnrc. In 1924 one state
Legislature. that of North Carolina authorized geo
logical survey Doe made. This example was followed
IN 1880 by Nnsachusctt7. and +oon arr by Nrwl York
Pcun-y lyaua. virginia md other states. and also by
the National Government, un, as l. now Wen known
either LA. been is in the process of being surveyed
unes on lhe nlhcih"tA oil h'It 2l"l' i'
these surveys have been powerful auxiliary IN extend
continent The opening of mines and qunriies through
the country has also furnished abundant material
Arrndy fully onc-halr Of The known mineral species
nave been IolHt mere io pI'7ri, h 9 ol hIDMh
drd to ono Thousand. There have been described
American minerals. OF these perhaps one. quaucrarc
new science and the remainder have either been
proved To- DE- Identical with speeches hiIt". dcHciurd
their character. impcrtrcy given that further
Investigation Is needed To ascertain what iHry are. |
Among these new minerals are some oil great interest to
science 4 marked feature of American mineral, D., tine
t''lu @.' u'n 49, ~ a. l H., ,,,, P H.
other point worthy OF note Is hc occurrence DO compam
lively large quantities, and over wide areas Of some OF
the larcr elements rs constituents OF the minerals
found.
PAST ERRORS AND DETECTS.
Enough has already been said to show that important
developments have been made IN the discovery and in
yest-utou Of the minerals found IA American rocks
during the past eighty Years. yrrtucle-- ia but
commencement IN the work Only very small portion
of territory has. been cyror'd with any thorough !
uts-, and none OF II Nhlls ycy. The enormous pro-
duc'on q tAc precious metals, ana the extensive de-
posts of ~ tIr more com metals which
nave placed r. ia front rank 49, metal producers
but Sin far behind Europe ia the variety Of
Instances, to the character Of ne veins de
cases. however ID IS doub less due 10 the fact that very
few persons connected with our mines have even an
elementary knowledge OF the fi.uncuts u mueraogy,
while IN continental Europe almost every mining |
officer Is familiar with All tho ordinary minerals.
Tua X TO the training OF our 80 oos OF science I'M
pro'cmcnt I'm ihi- rc.pect j., already noIccabG as is
ru0wuin me discoyer, n de I'D the mc7 of onrN tSern
states and ierritorie, during the past few years.
While the service done for logy d., gcOlos-
cal surveys Is gratefully uchhoNl'lSed' We feel We
have Ii-t 10 demand much lAo.e from them In tine
AurIalugF ucru TOO Kelly looked
guide TO the i-coNcry o user ores ana minerals and
NOT a- matter for scientific study; fortunately during
o. pt~i decade TIE discoveries ia optical mueralogy,
and ten impor ance IN the d'rrnnnon OF tie cpn>'t-
urut minerals Ot the crystalline rocks, have cd many
edge science. Much Wiz Dc accomplished II thOso
IN charge OF geological surveys viii dircc- competent
mineral constituents OF rock, nut the manner of
,crr .rr. ~ iuli yiduni minerals Tho careful spcc-
ton Of quarries and mines is greatly be desired.
These are rIci for minerals unless constant
,,., s rciscd valuable materia Tor sci,nco
Is IA ii fltI Df BE-
II Is true that many OF the most Interesting discoy
cries already recorded To have been due 10
the result ol fortunate accident Than Of SYSTEMATIC and
in elIgcut exploration. II ou trained mncral' gists.
nsto ,d of deyotng most OF ther attention to the cXnl-
nation OF specimens In cabinets collected by others,
would give more tine to personal observation IN the
field IN the study of the order anu aher OF occurrence
o mineral pccir In place, our knowledge would doubt
teur could b. induced 10 spend their money as freely IN
the exploration Of promising American localities as Ia
The importation Of costly L ropcan specimens, We might
hope Tor many important discoveries ana theY could
have the satisfaction not onIl OF gaming h9'eilles 10.
their collect ons, bus Incidentally they "ouG 90 mucH
TO foster science.
WHAT THE PRESENT DEMANDS.
In keep pace with the progress OF the science
we need many workers who VIII devote them
selves especially mncrO heal rcScach, and we need
of the spirit Of the early workers IL Is my be-
lief that the number O persons at present interested In
study here either amateurs or nyeslgatosis rel
atiycy Ices than 80 $50. The mineralogy OF today Is
"a very different subject from The mner'oSy Oh 'Hc com
ncncenen, the period over which we have 40 hasuy
Il need. Then the study O minerals was confined al
Werner ara reinforced by his most gfed pupil MONS,
the majority of ineralOgistH clHimcd nheIdiogy |" be-
purely natural history science lhey gave tncir atte,
ion ~ mas well said entirely 10 nov The mineral
ANA all To what 10 Wua' On tue other
raud Inc rvelopment OF analytical chemistry by tho
abors KlaprOtn aud BerzeAus led many 70 lake up
In.nrralogy rou purely chemical STANDPOINT These
two ,chnuiH working Independently brought great con
u- ION INTO the science The discoveries or lluuy IN
cr -tullOgrapty nud especially ais IDOs ia cstibaAug
iutfn.fu foundation the RcOtuetllchi or
or, ,tp. and the recognition that thu cOnsaucy Of form
I..l,l ou the con-tauCy Of the intcgrhnt nOecule
w,rs Il, p- which paved the way Tor modern miner
alos, In this union of AL the physical, geOmctrlcul
ana Chemical properties j. required ia order 10 determine
the true character ot IA mineral