820 a EDITORIAL 
The celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the tounding of 
the Geological Society of London, which took place recently, was an 
event of more than ordinary interest in that it not only signalized 
the great age of the society, the oldest of all geological societies, but, 
in calling to mind how near the beginning of geological science it 
had its birth, as was done by the presidential address of Sir Archibald 
Geikie, it emphasized the comparatively rapid development of 
geology as a branch of knowledge. Almost all the advancement from 
the realm of speculation to that of established facts has taken place 
during the lifetime of the Geological Society, a very great part of it 
having occurred within the memory of the oldest geologists present 
at the meeting, and in fact having been accomplished to a consider- 
able extent by their labors. 
While the function of the Centenary meeting was almost wholly 
social, consisting as it did, of a reception of delegates by the president 
of the society, Sir Archibald Geikie, an address by him, and a banquet 
to all the guests in the evening of the first day, followed by another 
banquet and a general reception on the second, together with numerous 
smaller entertainments of a social character, there were extended 
geological excursions before the meeting and shorter ones afterward. 
Throughout these events there was such evidence of forethought and 
consideration for the comfort and welfare of the guests as to reflect 
great credit on those who planned and managed them, and to afford a 
new example of proverbial English hospitality. 
The Centenary meeting was also interesting because of the repre- 
sentative character of the geologists whom it brought together from 
all parts of the world. For besides the large number of British and 
Colonial geologists in attendance, there were 94 from foreign countries, 
of whom 50 were from France, Germany, and America in nearly equal 
numbers; the other countries represented by smaller number being 
Sweden, Belgium, Holland, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Norway, 
Denmark, Switzerland, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Mexico, and 
Japan, in the order given. The opportunity of renewing friendships 
and of exchanging ideas with colleagues from such widely remote 
regions was the most important feature of the meeting, and one that 
makes for a better understanding among geologists and a certain 
advancement of the science. 
