KEW OBSERVATORY AND METEOROLOGY 241 



without previous forewarning, intelligence reached 

 us of Henry Smith's death, after a brief but singularly 

 painful illness in 1883. 



We all looked to General, afterwards Sir Richard, 

 Strachey (1817-1908) to succeed him, which he did. 

 He too has died only two days before I write these 

 lines. A prominent place ought to be given to him 

 in my " Memories, " for we have been connected in 

 our pursuits very frequently and in very different 

 ways. He was one of the hardest and most unob- 

 trusive of workers, who exercised a powerful influence 

 in many great matters, especially in India, but shrank 

 from publicity and ostentation. Like most master 

 minds, he had a characteristic way of looking at 

 things that is hard to describe. It often led to his 

 taking an unpopular side in discussions, though by 

 treating the question very clearly from his own point 

 of view he caused his opinion to be at last accepted. 

 He has been a steadfast friend to me throughout my 

 life. I cannot refrain from quoting the official letter 

 he wrote as Chairman of the Meteorological Council, 

 when I resigned my seat, it is so gracefully and 

 kindly expressed. 



" METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE 

 May 9, 1901 



" DEAR MR. GALTON, The new body of Directors 

 of the Office held their first meeting on Wednesday, 

 24th April. In the letter from the Royal Society 

 notifying their appointment, there was a paragraph 

 intimating that the resignation of your seat on the 

 Council had been accepted. 



"It was only natural that the first act of the new 

 body should be to recall the long period during which 

 you have occupied a seat either on the original 

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