Abstract
AMID the conflict of political parties, the jealousies of rival powers, the rumours of renewed dispeace among the nations, and the smouldering embers of war that seem ready at any moment to burst forth into renewed conflagration, it is a relief to turn to a volume in which the Austrian Government has just shown to the world one of the first uses to which she has put her new acquisitions in the East. Nothing could have been more quietly and unostentatiously done, and nothing could show a more enlightened and humanising policy than the action which is modestly described in the volume before us. The story is briefly told by the Ritter von Hauer in an introductory note. It appears that immediately after the pacification of the occupied provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina the Director of the Geological Institute at Vienna addressed to the Minister of Public Worship and Instruction (under whom the Geological Institute is placed) a letter in which he pointed out the desirability of expanding the pacific mission on which the country had entered in these provinces by organising a geological survey of them under the guidance of the Geological Institute. His representations were acceded to, and on March 9, 1879, he received instructions to commence a geological reconnaissance of the provinces with detailed investigation of such localities as might be found of sufficient importance. The task was to be undertaken conjointly by the Geological Institutes in Vienna and Buda-pest. The Director was requested as soon as possible to submit a plan of survey with proposals as to the number of geologists to be detailed and the individuals most competent for the exhaustive discharge of the duties required; and he was further instructed to put himself in direct relations with the Hungarian Geological Institute with a view to a proper sub-division of the work. Ritter von Hauer had no difficulty with one part of his instructions. Two of his staff, Dr. E. von Mojsisovics and Dr. E. Tietze, had already signified their wish to undertake the work, and Dr. Bittner expressed his desire to share in it. After some delay the Hungarian Institute made known its inability, from want of a sufficient staff, to take part in the intended survey. At last, on March 23, Director Von Hauer was able to announce to the Ministry that he was ready to begin operations. He proposed that as the work would naturally fall into two sections, (I)the preparation of a geological sketch-map of the whole occupied Provinces, and (2) a special detailed investigation of localities affording indications of salt, coal, or ores, it would be desirable to arrange the officers employed into two divisions. For the preparation of the map he suggested that four geologists should be employed, which, estimating the area to be surveyed at 1000 square German miles, would give 250 square miles to each surveyor. He recommended for this duty the three gentlemen above-named, and added the name of Prof. Hömes of Graz as the fourth, should the Hungarian Geological Institute have no other to propose. It was of course impossible that these officers, intrusted with the task of rapidly traversing the country and seizing on the salient features of its geological structure, should have time to halt anywhere long enough to make detailed investigations for useful minerals. This part of the duties however was one in which the services of the Hungarian Geological Institute might be especially useful, seeing that the distribution of ores in the Hungarian territory bore the closest analogy to that in Bosnia. The name of Herr F. Herlich of Klausenberg was accordingly suggested as one of the most competent persons to be intrusted with this part of the survey. It was further represented that the interesting and important coal and salt-spring region of Dolnj-Tuzla would be most fittingly explored by Herr Bergrath K. M. Paul, well known for his intimate acquaintance with the mineral tracts of Slavonia, Croatia, and the northern slopes of the Carpathian Mountains. Some further suggestions as to additional assistants were made. At last on April 7, 1879, the scheme of operations received the sanction of the Minister of Public Worship and Instruction.
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GEIKIE, A. Geology of Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 . Nature 23, 224–225 (1881). https://doi.org/10.1038/023224a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/023224a0