No. 2.] MISCELLANEOUS. 239 



Franklin; his success. in rait^ing a monument to Lieutenant Bel-. 

 lot, of the French Navy; his advocacy of the explorers of Central 

 Africa, Burton, Speke, Grant, Baker, and especially his friend 

 Livingstone, are among the proofs of his earnest self-devotion to 

 the cause of Geographical research. 



Amongst the many workers in the fields of science how few 

 there are whose actual published labours extend over half a cen- 

 tury ; yet almost the last Blue Book which has appeared, namely, 

 '" the Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the 

 several matters relating to Coal in the United Kingdom," (Vol. 

 I. General Report and Twenty-two Sub-reports, folio, 1871), 

 bears Sir Roderick's name second on the Commission. 



The Council of the Geological Society awarded him the Wol- 

 laston Gold Medal, in 1864, in recognition of his contributions 

 to geology as an inductive science. The Universities of Oxford, 

 Cambrid<i:e. and Dublin have also bestowed on him their Houo- 

 rary Degree. 



He held for many years the post of a Trustee to the British 

 Museum, wnth great advantage to the Natural History Depart- 

 ments in that Institution, which he specially promoted. 



Sir Roderick was created, in 1863, a Knight Commandant of 

 the Order of the Bath (civil division), and in the following year 

 he received the prize named after Baron Cuvier from the French 

 Institute. In 1859 the Royal Society of Scotland presented 

 him with their first Brisbane £iold medal, for his scientific classi- 

 fication of the Hi<i;hland roiks, and for the establishment of the 

 remarkable fact that the Gneiss of the north-west coasts is the 

 oldest rock in the British Islands. He was created a baronet in 

 January, 1866. 



One of his latest acts consisted in offerino- the munificent sum 

 of £6,000 to found a Chair of Geology and Mineralogy in the 

 University of Edinburgh, on condition that the Government 

 would supplement the proceeds by an annual grant of £200. 

 This was duly acceded to, and the chair so endowed, is now held 

 by Professor Geikie, F.R.S , etc. 



The death of Lady Murchison in 1869 was most keenly felt 

 by Sir Roderick, indeed it may be said to have given him a 

 shock from which he never wholly recovered. He was first at- 

 tacked by paralysis in December, 1870, but gradually rallied un- 

 til two months since, when he had a second stroke, but the symp- 

 toms had lately abated. A slight attack of bronchitis, caused 



