NOovEMBER 19, 1896] 
NATURE $7 
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“Croonian Lecture” of the Royal Society in 1883. 
These were, in 1895, republished in a collected form by 
his friends and pupils in America, under the title of 
“Physiological Papers.” And he sent out into the 
States a number of trained physiologists, fired with his 
own enthusiasm, who are continuing to advance the 
science, and one of whom has succeeded him at Balti- 
more. He also found time to write expository works, and 
his ““ Human Body,” “‘ Briefer Course ” and “ Elementary 
Course,” deservedly became very popular in the States. 
Upon his first appointment he had the charge of the 
whole subject of animal biology, and since he was him- 
self more distinctly a physiologist, it was almost his first 
duty to secure or train up a colleague who should devote 
himself to morphology. Martin early saw the worth of 
one of his students, W. K. Brooks ; to him he gradually 
entrusted morphological matters, and thus prepared not 
only the way for a separate chair of Zoology, but also 
the man to fill it. 
He was elected into the Royal Society in 1885 ; he also 
received the title of Hon. M.D. from the University of 
Georgia. 
Martin married in 1879 Mrs. Pegram, the widow of an 
officer in the Confederate army ; but there was no issue, 
and in 1892 his wife died. 
Even before his wife’s death his health had begun to 
give way ; and after that event, he became so increasingly 
unfitted for the duties which his own previous exertions 
had raised to a very great importance, that in 1893 he 
resigned his post. 
After his resignation he returned to this country, for he 
had never become an American citizen, and was looking 
forward to being able, with improved health, to labour in 
physiological investigations, either at his old University 
or elsewhere in England. But it was not to be. Though 
he seemed at times to be improving, he had more than 
one severe attack of illness, and never gained sufficient 
strength to set really to work. During the past summer 
he visibly failed; and while he was striving to recover his 
strength by a stay in the quiet dales of Yorkshire, a sudden 
haemorrhage carried him off on October 27, at Burley-in- 
Wharfedale, Yorkshire. 
Having been for so long a stranger to this country, 
Martin was, personally, but little known in English 
scientific circles ; in America, however, not in Baltimore 
only, but in many other parts of the States, especially 
among the younger physiologists, he has left behind him 
a memory which will not soon pass away ; while those 
who knew the brightness of his early days in this country, 
will always hold him i in affectionate remembrance. And 
it may here, perhaps, be granted to myself to say that I 
can never forget what he was to me in my early days at 
Cambridge, and the sadness which I am feeling in the 
thought that he now, as well as Balfour, is no more, is 
mixed with pride at havi ing been a help to two such men. 
M. FOSTER. 
NOTES. 
ADMIRAL Sirk G, H. RicHarps, whose death on Monday we 
regret to announce, earned the high esteem of men of science 
by his valuable hydrographical labours in various parts of the 
world. He was a scientific navigator, and during his life he 
contributed much important knowledge to marine surveying. 
The following particulars of his career are from an obituary 
notice in the Zimes:—Admiral Richards was born in 1820, 
and he entered the Navy in 1832. Three years later he 
was appointed as a midshipman in an expedition fitted out 
for a voyage of exploration and survey in the Pacific Ocean. 
He served for five years in the Sw/phur during the surveys 
of the west coasts of South and North America, the Pacific 
Islands, New Guinea, and the Moluccas. As lieutenant on 
the Piz/omel he took part in a survey of the Falkland Isles 
NO. De, VOL. 55] 
in 1842, but circumstances arose which prevented the ship from 
completing the work. Later he was employed for four years 
surveying the coasts of New Zealand. Returning home in 1852, 
Commander Richards found an expedition fitting out for the 
Arctic regions, to continue the search for the missing ships 
under Sir John Franklin. He volunteered for and was imme- 
diately appointed to this service, sailing in command of the 
Assistance as second to Sir Edward Belcher in the Wellington 
Channel division of the expedition. While on this service he 
conducted several extended sledging expeditions, travelling 
more than 2000 miles over the frozen sea, and being absent 
from the ships on this duty for a period extending over seven 
months. Upon the return of the search party he was promoted 
to the rank of captain, and in 1856 he was appointed to the 
command of the Plmper for the survey of Vancouver Island 
and the coasts of British Columbia. He was employed for 
seven years in completing the surveys of Vancouver Island and 
the adjacent coasts, returning to England in 1863 by the 
islands of the Western Pacific, Australia, and Torres Straits, 
making surveys and carrying chronometric distances by the 
way. This voyage completed his third circumnavigation of 
the globe. On his arrival at home Captain Richards found 
himself appointed to the high post of Hydrographer of the 
Navy, and he discharged the duties of this responsible position 
for ten years, retiring in 1874. As was only natural, a man 
of the attainments and experience of Sir George Richards was 
welcomed and honoured by the principal scientific bodies. In 
1866 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and in the 
same year a Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences 
of Paris. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical 
Society. Nor did his energy permit him to relinquish active 
work on giving up the post of Hydrographer. After his re- 
tirement he occupied the position of managing director of the 
Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, and under 
his direction many thousands of miles of submarine telegraph 
cables were laid in various parts of the world. During his 
services at the Admiralty and subsequently he was a trusted 
adviser of several Administrations, and was a member of 
numerous Committees on confidential and general questions. 
He was also president of the Arctic Committee, which sat in 
1875. 
AN appeal is being made to the men of wealth in America 
to provide a suitable building for the societies composing the 
Scientific Alliance of New York. The combined membership 
of these societies is now over one thousand. Nearly all of them 
issue valuable publications; several of them possess important 
libraries and growing collections of specimens, and all are 
actively engaged in promoting original research. Burlingtor 
House partly provides for London scientific societies, hut there 
is no building of like character in New York, though it is 
hoped that one will be provided by the enlightened liberality of 
private citizens. 
THE meeting and journey to Brighton of motor-cars, arranged 
by the Motor-car Club as an inauguration of the appearance of 
those vehicles on highways under the sanction of the Act passed 
last Session, took place on Saturday, November 14. Fifty-four 
vehicles were entered for the run, but less than half of them 
were able to start, owing to the dense crowd of sight-seers in 
London and unfavourable weather. The distance to Brighton 
by the route followed is about fifty-five miles, over hilly country. 
The vehicles started at 10.30, but the crowd was so dense that 
they could only travel very slowly—about four miles an hour— 
over the first part of their course. The two Bollée cars were 
the first to arrive at Brighton, which they reached at 2.30 and 
2.45 respectively. These did not, however, travel by way of 
Reigate, but went direct to Brighton, thereby saving several 
