Lyell: The Past Is The Key To The Present (geological Society Special Publication No. 143)

Lyell: the Past is the Key to the Present Lithograph of Charles Lyell made in Philadelphia by J. E. Mayall during Lyell's visit to America in the 1840s. Geological Society Special Publications Series Editors A. J. FLEET A. C. MORTON A. M. ROBERTS Acknowledgements The Geological Society, Palaeontographical Society and Palaeontological Association would like to thank the following companies for their generous sponsorship of the 1997 Lyell Meeting and Bicentennial Conference: Amerada Hess Ltd Amoco Services Ltd ARCO British Ltd BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd Chevron Europe Ltd Conoco (U.K.) Ltd IKODA Ltd Kerr McGee Corporation Oryx U.K. Energy Company Ready Mixed Concrete (U.K.) Ltd Shell U.K. Exploration and Production Statoil (U.K.) Ltd They are also grateful for the valuable help and support of INHIGEO, the International Commission on the History of Geology, and especially its President, Dr Hugh Torrens. The editors are especially grateful to the following who refereed the papers contained in this book, and whose help and advice have improved this work immeasurably: R. D. Adams, P. Allen, E. Belt, D. W. J. Bosence, G. S. Boulton, C. W. A. Browitt, J. H. Calder, W. G. Chaloner, R. Cocks, P. J. Coney, I. Davison, D. Dean, R. Fortey, J. Francis, P. W. Francis, B. Fritscher, M. Fuller, R. Gayer, M. Gibling, D. A. Gray, R. Hall, M. Hasselboro, A. Him, C. H. Holland, G. A. L. Johnson, G. Kelling, M. King Jr, J. Lowe, P. Lyons, W. J. McGuire, E. G. Nesbit, G. J. Nichols, E. P. E Rose, M. S. Rudwick, W. A. S. Sarjeant, R. Savage, J. Secord, R. H. Silliman, A. Smith, R. S. J. Sparks, J. Thackray, H. G. Torrens, A. B. van Riper, L. G. Wilson and N. Woodcock. GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 143 Lyell: the Past is the Key to the Present EDITED BY DEREK J. BLUNDELL & ANDREW C. SCOTT Department of Geology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK 1998 Published by The Geological Society London THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY The Society was founded in 1807 as The Geological Society of London and is the oldest geological society in the world. It received its Royal Charter in 1825 for the purpose of 'investigating the mineral structure of the Earth'. The Society is Britain's national society for geology with a membership of around 8500. It has countrywide coverage and approximately 1500 members reside overseas. The Society is responsible for all aspects of the geological sciences including professional matters. The Society has its own publishing house, which produces the Society's international journals, books and maps, and which acts as the European distributor for publications of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, SEPM and the Geological Society of America. Fellowship is open to those holding a recognized honours degree in geology or cognate subject and who have at least two years' relevant postgraduate experience, or who have not less than six years' relevant experience in geology or a cognate subject. A Fellow who has not less than five years' relevant postgraduate experience in the practice of geology may apply for validation and, subject to approval, may be able to use the designatory letters C Geol (Chartered Geologist). Further information about the Society is available from the Membership Manager, The Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1V 0JU, UK. The Society is a Registered Charity, No. 210161. Published by The Geological Society from: The Geological Society Publishing House Unit 7, Brassmill Enterprise Centre Brassmill Lane Bath BA1 3JN UK (Orders: Tel. 01225 445046 Fax 01225 442836) Distributors USA AAPG Bookstore PO Box 979 Tulsa OK 74101-0979 USA (Orders: Tel. (918) 584-2555 Fax (918) 560-2652) First published 1998 The publishers make no representation, express or implied