A century of science in America : $b with special reference to the American Journal of Science, 1818-1918
History
A century of science in America : $b with special reference to the American Journal of Science, 1818-1918
American journal of science; Science -- United States -- History
This work is reviewed at great length in the Journal in the volumes for
1844–1847 by D. D. Owen. Evidently it followed too new a plan to receive
fulsome praise from conservative Owen, as it should have. He remarks
that the volumes “are not a little prolix, are voluminous and expensive,
and do not give as clear and connected a view of the geological features
of the state as could be wished.... We are of the opinion that before
this work can become generally useful and extensively circulated, it
must be condensed and arranged into one compendious volume” (=46=, 144,
1844). This was never done and yet the work was everywhere accepted at
once, and to this end undoubtedly Owen’s detailed review helped much.
The Natural History Survey of New York was organized in 1836 and
completed in 1843. The state was divided into four districts, and to
these were finally assigned the following experienced geologists. The
southeastern part was named the First District, with W. W. Mather
(1804–1859) as geologist; the northeastern quarter was the Second
District, with Ebenezer Emmons (1799–1863) in charge; the central
portion was the Third District, under Lardner Vanuxem (1792–1848); while
the western part was James Hall’s (1811–1898) Fourth District.
Paleontology for a time was in charge of T. A. Conrad (1830–1877); the
mineralogical and chemical work was in the hands of Lewis C. Beck; the
botanist was John Torrey; and the zoologist James DeKay.
The New York State Survey published six annual reports of 1675 pages
octavo, and four final geological reports with 2079 pages quarto.
Finally in 1846 Emmons added another volume on the soils and rocks of
the state, in which he also discussed the Taconic and New York systems;
it has 371 pages. With the completion of the first survey, Hall took up
his life work under the auspices of the state—his monumental work,
Paleontology of New York, in fifteen quarto volumes of 4539 pages and
1081 plates of fossils. In addition to all this, there are his annual
and other reports to the Regents of the State, so that it is safe to say
that he published not less than 10,000 pages of printed matter on the
geology and paleontology of North America.
In regard to this great series of works, all that can be presented here
is a table of formations as developed by the New York State Survey.
Practically all of its results and formation names have come into
general use, with the exception of the Taconic system of Emmons and the
division terms of the New York system. (See p. 88.)
The New York State Survey, begun in 1836, was continued by James Hall
from 1843 to 1898. During this time he was also state geologist of Iowa
(1855–1858) and Michigan (1862). Since 1898, John M. Clarke has ably
continued the Geological Survey of New York, the state which continues
to be, in science and more especially in geology and paleontology, the
foremost in America.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account