OIL-FINDING AN IXTRODUCTZON TO THE GEOLOGICAL STUDY OF PETRO1-- INTRODUCTION - Oil-finding is a laudable and successful attempt to deal with a subject which has hitherto received far too little attention, and those who have within recent years had occasion to deplore the waste of money which has resulted from the publication of injudicious reports on lands presumed to be oil-bearing, and from the unscientific manner in which drilling operations have been conducted, will regret that this book was not published long ago. The author points out that the foundation of the successful petroleum enterprise must be laid by the geologist rather than by the engineer, and he states that the present work has been written for geologists, and especially for young geologists but it may be added that, to a large extent, the views expressed are couched in language so free from technicalities that the work may be studied with profit by a far wider circle, including, in fact, all those who are interested in the petroleum industry, . either in an administrative capacity, or as investors. With the aid of this book, and the exercise of common sense, those who contemplate investment in petroleum under- takings may place themselves in a position to form an in- dependent opinion as to whether the technical data given in a prospectus are adequate, and are such as to justify thc appeal for subscriptions. Similarly, the shareholders in petroleum projects which are of an exploratory nature, or in which the work of exploitation is passing through the earlier stages, may learn to interpret reports of progress which at present they find unintelligible. Not only would this enlightened judgment be of inestimable value to those who exercise it, but it would incidentally provide the most effective remedy for an evil to viii INTRODUCTION which the author alludes, viz. that of the popular safeguarded report, vllich in lieu of being a record of facts and legitimate deductions, seeks to create a highly favourable impression by means of a few well-rounded sentences, in which the weak points of the case are ignored and superlatives are prominent. It is obvious that the possession by those to whom such reports are intended to appeal of such knowledge as Mr. Cunningham Craigs book imparts, would very soon result in rendering this procedure worse than useless, and in this connexion it should be borne in mind that the expert is not alone to blame, for, as the author points out, it not infrequently happens that his views are quoted in a form in which they do not correctly convey what he stated. The earlier portion of the work, as the author himself admits, deals with many theoretical questions of a controversial character, and it is not to be expected, nor does he hinlself anticipate, that his strongly expressed opinions will in all cases be accepted but this does not detract from the value of the work, and in fact it may be said to enhance it if, in accordance with the avowed intention of the author, the further study of these questions is thereby stimulated. Mr...