(518/1. It was agreed at the British Association meeting held at
Southampton in 1846 "That application be made to Her Majesty's Government
to direct that during the progress of the Ordnance Trigonometrical Surveys
in the North of Scotland, the so-called Parallel Roads of Glen Roy and the
adjoining country be accurately surveyed, with the view of determining
whether they are truly parallel and horizontal, the intervening distances,
and their elevations above the present sea-level" ("British Association
Report," 1846, page xix). The survey was undertaken by the Government
Ordnance Survey Office under Col. Sir Henry James, who published the
results in 1874 ("Notes on the Parallel Roads of Glen Roy"); the map on
which the details are given is sheet 63 (one-inch scale).)

In following your suggestion in drawing out something about Glen Roy for
the Geological Committee, I have been completely puzzled how to do it. I
have written down what I should say if I had to meet the head of the Survey
and wished to persuade him to undertake the task; but as I have written it,
it is too long, ill expressed, seems as if it came from nobody and was
going to nobody, and therefore I send it to you in despair, and beg you to
turn the subject in your mind. I feel a conviction if it goes through the
Geological part of Ordnance Survey it will be swamped, and as it is a case
for mere accurate measurements it might, I think without offence, go to the
head of the real Surveyors.

If Agassiz or Buckland are on the Committee they will sneer at the whole
thing and declare the beaches are those of a glacier-lake, than which I am
sure I could convince you that there never was a more futile theory.

I look forward to Southampton (518/2. The British Association meeting
(1846).) with much interest, and hope to hear to-morrow that the lodgings
are secured to us. You cannot think how thoroughly I enjoyed our