Sir a W. Thomson. 279 



In 1868 Dr Carpenter, one of the Vice-Presidents of 

 the Royal Society of London, induced Thomson to join 

 with him in the first deep-sea dredging expedition. For 

 tliis purpose Government gave the use of the surveying 

 ships the "Lightning" and the "Porcupine." Thomson 

 gave the results of these researches in a handsome octavo, 

 entitled The Depths of the Sea. 



On the resignation of Professor Allmau in 1870, 

 Thomson was elected his successor in the Professorship of 

 Natural History in the University of Edinburgh. He 

 efficiently discharged his new duties until he became 

 the scientific chief of the "Challenger" Expedition in 

 1872, which necessitated his absence from Britain for 

 3^ years, and a world oceanic traverse of 68,189 miles, 

 during which systematic observations were made at 362 

 stations in the open sea ; the results of which are only 

 now being published, so far as yet elaborated. 



Dr Thomson was elected President of this Society for 

 the Session 1871-72, and opened our thirty-seventh Session 

 with an interesting address.* On his returning to Edin- 

 burgh from his oceanic world voyage, Thomson was 

 made a Vice-President for the Session 1876-77, during 

 which he delivered an opening address in lieu of Sir Eobert 

 Christison, Bart., then an invalid.f He continued on our 

 Council till his death. 



Abundant honours also followed his return from the 

 " Challenger" Expedition in 1876. Amongst these was a 

 knighthood, and the award of one of its gold medals by 

 the Royal Society of London. He was also, with his 

 scientific staff, entertained at a public banquet in Edin- 

 burgh. He accompanied me to Upsala, as a represen- 

 tative of the Senatus Academicus of the University of 

 Edinburgh, on the occasion of the Quartcentenary of the 

 ancient University of Upsala, when the King of Sweden 

 created him a Knight of the Order of the Polar Star. I 

 also received a Royal Gold Medal. 



A writer in the periodical entitled " Nature " thus 

 remarks : — 



" After his return in 1876 from the voyage of the 'Chal- 



* Trans. Bot. Soc, vol. xi. p 401. 

 + Ibid., vol. xii. p. 115. 

 TRANS. BOT. SOC. VOL. XIV. U 



