would make the necessary inquiries as to the terms upon which the loan could be effected in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, and communicate the result to your agent, before the tenth day of May then next ensuing. Your agent therefore made no attempt to dispose of this stock, until that period had elapsed, except to receive such other offers as might be presented. Having no communication from the Governor, and therefore taking it for granted that this stock could not be advantageously sold in our Atlantic cities, your agent, about the twentieth to the twenty-fifth of May last, entered into the before mentioned agreement with the Bank of Michigan, the only corporation or individual who had submitted any proposition. In conclusion, personal considerations induce your agent to remark, that the terms upon which this loan has been negotiated, are believed to be more advantageous than other proposals made subsequently, (for it is probably known to members of the board, that proposals were made for the purchase of the stock some time after the negotiation with the Bank of Michigan had been consummated,) and it may therefore be proper to state, that on the 15th June last, two or three offers were communicated to your agent, at ten per cent premium, and again, on the 22d of the same month, a further proposition, offering twelve and a half per cent premium. But let it be observed, that in all these proposals no intimation was made of an interest account, and inquiry as to one of them shews that no allowance of interest upon unpaid instalments was intended. The Bank of Michigan, at an interview with its officers originally upon this subject, had offered twelve per cent premium, which was declined. An arithmetical calculation satisfied your agent, that the terms upon which the loan had been negotiated, would equal 22 450-1000 per cent premium, without interest account, and this too, exclusive of interest upon the six thousand dollars premium obtained, and which is now drawing interest. Most respectfully, J. KEARSLEY, Agent. Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 11th, 1838. (No. 25.) Communication from the State Geologist relative to the Geological Survey. OFFICE OF STATE GEOLOGIST, To the Hon. Senate of Michigan. In compliance with the requisitions of a resolution from the Honorable the Senate of Michigan, instructing the State Geologist to report "with all convenient despatch," "1st. If there exist any outstanding contracts? and if any, what? "2d. What loss, injury or detriment might result from a temporary suspension of said geological survey? "3d. If in any respect such injury should be likely, in the opinion of said Geologist, to be incurred, then that he report what part of said survey, in particular, would be prejudiced by such suspension?" I would respectfully report: That contracts have been entered into with that part of the appropriation arising from the general fund, or rather orders have been sent abroad for the fixtures of a lithographic press, paper, &c., for the use of the topographical department, as also for sundry items, such as instruments, &c., preparatory to a commencement of the work with the opening of spring. As no bills of these orders have as yet been received, I am unable to lay before you an accurate estimate of the amount of these orders. As it is inferred that no portion of the resolutions are directed to that part of the work connected with the improvement of the salt springs, I will only briefly add with respect to this department, that contracts are considered as closed for some heavy portions of the work. 2d. "The loss, injury or detriment which might result from a temporary suspension of the geological survey," may be regarded as of such a character as would eventuate in an almost total loss of what has been already accomplished, and would, without doubt, prove fatal to the whole work. In carrying forward a work of the character of that under consideration, it is indispensable that the heads of the several departments, or those who are eventually to be called upon for connected reports, remain unchanged, for the reason that many, and in fact a large proportion of the comparative data from which conclusions are drawn, being unfinished, are not in such a condition as to be either comprehended or understood by a third person, unless he pass through the very same steps of observation. In this respect the work may be compared to a long series of half solved mathematical problems, which a third person would be incapable of completing without passing over the same ground, a step which would be necessary, even for the very person first engaged in the work, should he fail to pursue the subject to a close while fresh in his mind. The chief assistants employed in the geological survey are men who have left lucrative professions with a simple desire of aiding the work in progress. They have engaged with an enthusiasm that is deserving of the highest respect, and they have labored to collect matter for the elucidation of their several departments, which will, no doubt, if carried to completion, be creditable to themselves while it will prove of practical utility to the people. Had the several assistants taken charge of the separate departments from mercenary motives, and without any hope of originating a result that would be creditable to themselves, while it would benefit the people, the circumstances would be very different; but as it is, having engaged with motives and inducements of a higher character, I can safely say that not a single one of the heads of the departments would desire to remain in the work a single hour, where he to entertain the idea that the fatigue, anxiety and labor which had been devoted to the subjects under his charge, were to be scattered to the winds. The reflection that this may be the result, has already acted as a blight upon their operations, for they have felt that there was no inducement whatever to carry forward the examinations which they had so fondly hoped to complete. The temporary suspension of the survey will necessarily destroy the present organization; the assistants will return to their professions, and certainly without any desire of again undertaking a task which it might be feared would only end in disappointment and disgrace. The organization of a competent board of assistants for conducting operations of this character, is only made with the utmost difficulty, and were the one now acting dissolved, we could scarcely hope to effect a reorganization in such a manner that each would understand his duty in less than a year's time; and in fact it may be doubted whether, under those circumstances, competent assistants could be induced to undertake the task; and should the work be again commenced, it would be necessary to pass a second time over a large proportion of the road which has already been travelled. In obedience to the instructions contained in the act of March 23, 1838, I nominated Dr. John Wright as botanist to the geological survey, and the same was duly confirmed. Dr Wright was at the time engaged in the lucrative practice of his profession in Troy, New York, and it was only after the most urgent solicitations, and at much pecuniary sacrifice upon his part, that he was induced to accept the appointment; relying upon the faith of the state to complete the work which he had been induced to undertake. The duties assigned him have been performed with a devotion and success hardly to have been anticipated, and which, if continued, could not, it is conceived, fail to lead to important results. Even the most temporary suspension of the work would eventuate in the loss of the scientific and practical matter which has been collected in this department of the survey, while it certainly would be acting in no good faith to the head of that depart ment. The same in fact would prove to be the result in the several departments, were the work to be temporarily suspended. The assistants have performed their duties from a devotion to the subjects in which they are engaged, and certainly without any pros pect of pecuniary advantage; they are men who would immediately find an active field of labor, were they separated from this work, and who, in all human probability, could never be induced again to undertake the task in which they are now engaged. To reorganize a corps of assistants would in fact be equivalent to commencing the work anew. The present time is an exceedingly favorable one for conducting operations in the geological and topographical departments, for while the United States surveyors are engaged in subdividing the northern part of the peninsula, we are enabled to procure, through them, a vast amount of information; and in fact through that source an amount of labor may be accomplished very far exceeding that, which under other circumstances, could be done. Those United States surveys will probably be completed during this and the ensuing year, and the time will then have passed for gaining the assistance of those persons who are engaged in this work. There still remain of the salt lands granted our state by the general government, thirty sections to be located. The judicious location of these lands will involve a large amount of labor; yet that labor would be of such a kind that two objects would be gained, viz: the location of the land and the survey of the country. Should a special agent be appointed to make the selection of the lands, only one of these objects would be gained, at the same time that much difficulty might occur in making the proper selections. Thirdly, "I am instructed to report what part of said survey, in particular, would be prejudiced by said suspension," to which I would answer unhesitatingly, all parts of it. The work is of a character which to be rendered really valuable, requires to be conducted as a whole; and to cut off any portion would not only leave a defect, but would cripple the operations of other departments, for those remaining could scarcely conduct the balance of the work in such a manner as to be creditable either to themselves or the state. In answering that all the departments of the survey would be prejudiced by a suspension, I would call your attention to an attached duty, perfectly independent of the geological survey proper, the relation of which to our other duties, would appear to be but imperfectly understood: I allude to the collection of speci mens of natural history. It is well known that the regents of the university felt a deep anxiety to embrace the opportunity afforded by the work in progress, to supply the students of the state university with facilities for the study of natural history, unequalled by any institution in our country. The progress of the geological survey offered facilities for carrying this into effect, at a comparatively small expense. The geological board were directed to perform the duty, and the act directs the regents to refund to the state the sum of four thousand dollars, the estimated cost of these collections. The duties incident upon the collection of specimens, in the manner directed, have much increased the labor of the work; yet they have been performed with pleasure, from the hope that these collections might prove of value to our state institutions. Yet the very industry which has been used for a faithful compliance with the requisitions of the act, would appear not only to have brought discredit upon the whole work, but also to have given rise to a variety of epithets, certainly of no very dignified character, which are in no wise calculated to extend the usefulness of those persons to whom they are applied. It would be to those engaged in the geological survey, no small relief to be spared the labor of making these collections, and this portion of the work may be suspended without any detriment to the legitimate duties of those engaged in the survey; but since, if the amount required for making these collections be repaid from the university fund, nothing would be gained in economy to the state, no good reason can be conceived why the university should be denied the facili ties offered for enriching her cabinet of natural history. All which is respectfully submitted. DOUGLASS HOUGHTON, |