202 [j^„ 20, 



upon plans for the improvement of the mouth of the Mississippi river. In 

 1877 he located the Nictaux and Atlantic railroad in Nova Scotia. During 

 the year 1876 he held the position of vice-president in the American So- 

 ciety of Civil Engineers, and at the close of 1878 he was elected president 

 of that society for the ensuing year. 



Toward the close of 1878 Mr. Roberts accepted the appointment of the 

 Brazilian Government for an examination of ihe ports and water-ways of 

 the empire with reference to their improvement. His contract was for a 

 period of three years, beginning with 1879, only six months of which re- 

 mained unexpired at the time of his death. lie left New York on the 4th 

 of January, 1879, and arrived in this city on the 27th of the same month. 

 He was at once charged with an examination of the port of Santos, and 

 entered upon his new work in the following month of February. This 

 task was completed in June, and on the 31st of August Mr. Roberts set 

 out for an extended examination of the Upper Sao Francisco. He was ac- 

 companied on this survey by Prof. O. A. Derby, of the National Museum, 

 Mr. Rudolf Wieser, assistant, and by several young Brazilian engineers. 

 This survey was the most difficult and important one upon which Mr. 

 Roberts was engaged, the field work alone occupying a period of over six 

 months. After a long interval had elapsed, during which time he served 

 on a commission to report upon the new water-works of this city, Mr. 

 Roberts was commissioned with the examination of various northern ports, 

 and in two separate trips made careful surveys of the ports of Pernambuco, 

 Fortaleza, Maranhao, Victoria, Caravellas, and several other small ports. 



Very recently he was instructed to examine the port of Rio Grande, but 

 this work was afterwards deterred in order to have an examination made 

 of the Rio das Velhas, province of Minas Geraes, during the season of low . 

 water. Accompanied by Prof. O. A. Derby, geologist, and Mr. J. W. de 

 Aguiar, assistant, Mr. Roberts set out on this, his last survey, on the 2d of 

 July, 1881. He was compelled to suspend his journey (m the 7th, at a lit- 

 tle settlement, or railway surveyors' camp, called Soledade, where an in- 

 disposition which had been troubling him for some days, developed into 

 typhus fever. He died on the evening of July 14th, 1881, in the 72d year 

 of his age, and was buried on the following day in the parish cemetery of 

 Caramandahy, seven leagues beyond the city of Barbacena, Minas Geraes. 



Stated Meeting, Janvary W, 1882. 



Present, 7 members. 



Vice-President, Mr. Peick, in the Chair. 



Letters were received from the Imperial Society of Natur- 

 alists of Moscow, dated Dec. 13, 1881, and January, 1882, 

 asking the participation of this Society in the celebration of 



