§ MR. MOONEYOn behalf of the hon. Member for the St. Patrick Division of Dublin, I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education whether he can state the exact position of the soil (or drift) survey in Ireland; how many persons are employed; about what time it is expected to be completed; whether he can say why the Department of Agri- 120 culture has not been commissioned to carry out this economic work, and whether it is intended to remove it from, the Board of Education in England; and whether the former practice of publishing; maps in the Annual Reports of the Geological Survey in Ireland will be resumed.
§ SIR J. GORSTAs I pointed out in reply to the hon. Member on the 25th March, the question of a soil survey (strictly so called) rests with the Agricultural Department; the drift survey is a part of the geological survey with which alone the Board of Education are concerned. I stated in answer to another question on the 22nd March that the drift survey of Ireland was completed, but that it needed revision in certain particulars. That revision has been commenced and is actually in progress, but until the work is more advanced no reliable estimate can be formed as to the time required to complete it, the question of reviving the publication of index maps in the Annual Reports will be considered.
§ MR. MOONEYOn behalf of the hon. Member for the St. Patrick Division of Dublin, I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education whether, having regard to the fact that the rock survey and soil (or drift) survey were carried on simultaneously in England, he can state when the soil (or drift) survey was discontinued in Ireland, and what was the reason for this treatment; whether it has been recently resumed, and, whether he can give the total amount of money spent on surveys in England and Ireland respectively, and. the present annual expenditure.
§ SIR J. GORSTThe question appears to be based on a misapprehension. The survey of England for the preparation of the one-inch general geological map was completed as regards the solid geology in 1883; since that time the re-survey (including the drift survey) on the basis. of six inches to a mile has been in progress. The solid and drift surveys of. Ireland on the six-inch basis were, as was stated on the 26th March, completed in. 1887. In answer to the last paragraph of the question, separate accounts are not 121 kept in respect of the survey of each portion of the United Kingdom; hence the amount expended for England and Ireland respectively cannot be stated.