New-York tribune., 1891-08-30
THE GEOLOGICAL CONGRESS.
DISCUSSING THE MATTER OF CORRELATION.
THE CAMBRIAN FoRMATIoNs-rHE ORIGINAL
SURVEY OF THIS sTATE-oTHER
TOPICS TREATED
.BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rnrprrp

,BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rprpurE,
Washington, Aug. 29.-The International Geological
Congress held one session today Professor Gaudry,
OF Paris, in the chair; and French forged TO the front
again tho language OF speakers though English
still preponderated. The discussion on correlation was
resumed. Professor E. w. Hilgard dwelt on the I'M
porance Of considering the number of individuals of
each species found and mentioned as drawbacks TO the
utility of plants In making comparisons the fact Of
their peshable nature and range. Professor Lester
+. Ward read paper on paleobotany, considering
fossil plants with especial reference TO their value
means OF comparing the strata In which they occur
lie said that the great types of vegetation arc
Characteristic of great geologic epOchs but that, in
case of deposits not widely different in age, much
teria is necessary to determine their exact position
by means OF plants.
Charles ID. Waalcot, Of the United States Geological
Survey spoke upon the correlation of the Cambrian
formations of the North American Continent. The
principles Of the coelations made by the pioneers OF
American geology-McClure Eaton and James Hall
and by the New-York survey prior to 1s47. were
essentially those used to-day, with the exception Of
the addition OF the data resulting from the theory Of
the evolution of animal species The speaker de-
scribed the Canbau rocks of the Atlantic coast the
Appalachian and Rocky Mountain areas and the
great interior Mississippi basin area showing that in
lower and middle Cambrian time great continental
area existed over the Interior and that the Cambran
west of the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. In
Timer Cambran time the interior Of the continent
sank beneath the ocean, and the sandsOnes OF the
Upper Cambrlan were deposited The results Of these
| correlatons added a chapter to the history Of the
evolution of the North American Continent and were
permanent addition to North American geology.
Professor James Halx of Albany described the dis
advantages under which the original survey OF thc
State of NewYork undertaken by him, in 1886. and
gave at some length the successive steps in the pro
cess of identifying and comparing the formations IN
different parts OF the State. 1t Is now Just hity
years since he started from NewYork TO examine ana
correlate tho strata west of the Mississippi; and, not
withstandlng the deficient information then attain
able the main results continued substantially as he
had then estah ished them.
Professor Van Hese read an elaborate paper on pre-
Cambrian sedinenarles. There is great difference
of opinion as to what are and what are NOT prc
Cambrian In the progress OF the geolOgcdi survey
II has not yet been possible to identity the formations
Of other parts OF the United States with the Lau
rentian and Huronian about Lake superior, henoo
these formations are for the present grouped under
the name Of Algonquin The speaker considered the
system Of steiry hunt radically wrong, not having
boen based on field work. but evolved from withih
like the web OF spider.
Professor Raphael Pumpelly described the Green
Mountain system Of Vermont, to which he mas gwen
naciaI attention Professor Barols, of Paris, remarked
Europe as I'm America and that IIe only satisfactory
basis of correlation is autopsy. Professor h. d.
Cone remarked that the fauna differ more IN loo ieeO
in depth of formation than in 10000 miles Oh supe!
Gces on the carth's surface. Austraha ana oou'h
America differ much more from Norm America a,'u
Furope- Asa than the latter do from each oher' ic
North American fauna at one time overspread South
America but the difference between the TWO cohnen's
is now marked. 1t is still an open question whe.her
tbe vertebrates of North America and Of Europe-Asia
originated i'm one continent and spread to the other, W
whether similar species originated independently III
similar conditions In the two continents p't 'nere
seems TO be q high degree OF prcbablAV uiat e'oh
continent had its OWE species, and tna the resemblance
between them was caused by similarity u e"''''''
mcnt and climate.
Professor Gilbert closed the discussion by expressing
qualification that his scheme of general classification
had so well served the Congress ne 'hed dtsL I1h
Messrs McGee ana N, Ryis h cycnis IN an important
wav: and that division might have to DE
T6c discussion had shown some apparent discrepancy
NJ onnion as 10 tac question whether or not the num-
ber OF individual fossils Of each species was an I'M
portant factor OF correlation. Professor Hlioerus )
ppvinion was that it might be important for com
parlson within limited range, pui Ilat ~ Ior LII I 81
generalizaiOns IL matcTcd I,tle whether lew OF many
SndIyduaIs were found. The presence Of even few
would Indicate the geologic epoch and Local cohdi
| lions would AFFECT the number Of individuals that
might be preserved at any given LOCALITY -.to.
An Invitation was accepted to attend receP'tISn 81 tS
DS Srers oe viii suend sunday in an eXc ion l20 miles
down the Potomac for the purpose oI studying un'
an ocai organization of the directors of the state
and National Geological surveys Is In c9urss on Ior ma
| % fnr this purpose there were present Major J. w
Powell Director of the United states Geooslcai suI-
| WOW and the following state biologists: Professor
TeS, Ys a Han NewYorl Professor j. " Stafford, Ten
ncssee Professor J. W. Spencer GeorEa iroessV, N
| y A smith Alabama, Professor j. a. tolIneS, N0itn
| Carolina: Arthur Knsow, Missouri; E. L. Dnm0ie;
Texas: Professor j. Lndahl, Illinois MAJOR 40, Io%cn WI
was elected chairman Of the meeting and Mr. Wnso"