2 Eminent Living Geologists — 



whole having been built and established by him. This house, with 

 some others adjoining it, and also the manufactory, now form the 

 printing and publishing offices of the Daily News. 



W. T. Blanford received his early education in private schools at 

 Brighton, and afterwards in Paris. He was sent to Paris at the age 

 of 14, and remained there till March, 1848, just after the Revolution. 

 He happened to be laid up during that critical time in January with 

 a severe bronchial attack, doubtless diphtheria, and was in bed 

 during the eventful change of government from the rule of Louis 

 Philippe to the temporary government by the National Assembly. 

 He suffered for a considerable time from results of this illness, and 

 passed two years witli a mercantile house at Civita Vecchia, in the 

 Roman States (then occupied by the French), the head of the firm 

 being an old friend of his father's. 



Returning to England in 1851, he joined his father's business, 

 but his younger brother, Henry, having meantime matriculated 

 at the Royal School of Mines, which had opened in that year, 

 the temptation to abandon business and take up a scientific career 

 was too strong, and he followed his brother and entered the 

 Laboratory under Lyon Playfair in 1852 and matriculated in 

 October of that year. The course was only for two years, and 

 both brothers passed out at the head of the list, each having carried 

 off the Duke of Cornwall's and the Council Scholarships. The 

 vacations were spent by the brothers in studying field-geology with 

 Professor (afterwards Sir A. C.) Ramsay, and raining in Cornwall 

 with Professor (afterwards Sir W.) Warington Smyth; one Autumn 

 being passed in travelling in Norway. 



Besides Lyon Playfair (afterwards Lord Playfair), Ramsay, and 

 Warington Smyth, Edward Forbes lectured on Natural History, 

 and Percy was Professor of Metallurgy ; these were the principal 

 teachers in the School of Mines in 1852-4, of which Sir Henry T. 

 De la Beche was the Director. Huxley joined the staff towards the 

 end of the time, and W. T. Blanford had the advantage of hearing 

 one or two of his earlier lectures. 



After leaving the School of Mines in 1854, a year was passed 

 at Freiberg in Saxony in the study of chemistry, mineralogy, 

 mining, and metallurgy. Before this year came to an end, the 

 brothers were offered and accepted posts on the Geological Survey 

 of India, under Dr. Thomas Oldham, F.R.S., the then Superintendent. 

 They sailed for India in the late Summer, and arrived in Calcutta 

 at the end of September, to find that Dr. Oldham was away with 

 Colonel Phayre's mission to the Court of Ava, and no information 

 of their appointment had been received by any Government official. 

 There was no Survey office at that time, and it was only by chance 

 the brothers met Mr. W. Theobald, a member of the Survey staff. 

 There were no telegraphs in those days, and posts were slow, so 

 that nearly two months elapsed before hearing from Dr. Oldham. 

 Part of the time was spent in a visit to the Raniganj Coalfield, and 

 in the study of Hindustani. On Dr. Oldham's return to Calcutta 

 in December everything was arranged, and in Januarj^ 1856, a party 



