GEOLOGY IN POST-WAR PLANNING

Abstract

FROM the reply of the Secretary of State for War to a question recently asked in the House of Commons, it seems that we have now arrived, in the fourth year of war, at the stage reached after the Gallipoli campaign of the War of 1914-18 ; for history is repeating itself in that water-divining in the Army is to be replaced by scientific methods of discovery (see NATURE, January 30, p. 118). A further, although belated, encouragement to geologists in their efforts to overcome public neglect of the science has just come from an American correspondent in the shape of news that the U.S. Geological Survey is actively co-operating in the preparation of maps for the North African campaign, and that geological staff officers are accompanying some of the U.S. task forces. If we do not relax our efforts it is perhaps not too much to hope that the staff of two geologists at present attached to the British Army may be increased to the total of five who were in commission in 1918-or perhaps even to the much larger number which alone would be adequate.