50 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXX. No. 758 



work demanded from the scientist and ob- 

 server. In this triangulation one line, ob- 

 served in both directions, is over 183 miles 

 long and is not exceeded in the v7ork of any 

 country. 



There are two instances where the change 

 between adjoining stations necessitated a jour- 

 ney of 300 miles, one of these being the trans- 

 fer of parties from Mount Ellen to Mt. Tava- 

 puts, made under fierce suns of August and 

 September, across a desert section which tested 

 almost to their limits the endurance of the 

 men and animals, and it is remarkable to 

 relate that in his most expansive moments 

 Eimbeck never seemed to consider that any 

 special merit could be claimed for successfully 

 overcoming all these hardships and dangers. 

 A reference to the annual report of the super- 

 intendent will emphasize this feature of our 

 friend's character, as therein will be found 

 only a simple statement of the work completed 

 each year, because of the modesty which would 

 not permit him to give adequate account of 

 the toils he faced and conquered. 



Near the close of this great triangulation, 

 Mr. Eimbeck designed the duplex base appa- 

 ratus which was constructed at the Coast and 

 Geodetic Survey Office and used by him in 

 the measurement of the Salt Lake base. 



In addition to the field work upon which 

 he was so actively engaged, he was always 

 deeply interested in every branch of the work 

 of the survey, and specially those pertaining 

 to geodesy. In 1900 he undertook an elab- 

 orate series of experiments for the study of 

 the seasonal range in the value of the coeffi- 

 cient of refraction, but a final report was 

 never received from him; although he made 

 several announcements of the satisfactory 

 progress he was making in the perfection of a 

 theory for this important term. His study of 

 the question of the existence of sensible tides 

 in the earth's siirfaee had also occupied his 

 attention for many years and was the object 

 of study with him up to his last days. It is 

 known that he gave profound study to the 

 problems of the tides, gravity, the causes of 

 the variations of latitudes, etc., and it is also 

 known from his own statements that he was 



preparing his theories for publication. The 

 most frequent references to Mr. Eimbeck by 

 his intimate associates are appreciations of his 

 suggestive and illuminating discussions of 

 many of the problems that attract the physi- 

 cist and astronomer, and all the problems to 

 which the geodesist gives attention. 



In appearance Mr. Eimbeck was the elegant 

 and distinguished gentleman. Tall, erect, of 

 fine proportions and handsome features, he 

 was often admired as he walked the streets of 

 Washington carrying an overcoat on his arm, 

 which he disdained to wear even in the coldest 

 weather. In his early days he was of robust 

 health, but as early as 1890 he began to com- 

 plain that he could no longer endure either the 

 physical or mental strain of former years. A 

 few years later he thought he had Bright's 

 disease, but would not consult a physician. 

 This disease, with the complications that so 

 frequently come with it, slowly crept upon 

 him, tiU in 1906 he resigned from the survey, 

 hoping a life free from care would improve if 

 not restore his health. It was too late — he 

 gradually failed, and finally on March 27, 

 1909, his death resulted from a stroke of 

 paralysis. 



Mr. Eimbeck was a founder member of the 

 Cosmos Club, for thirty years a fellow of the 

 American Association for the Advancement 

 of Science, a member of the Washington 

 Academy of Sciences, of the National Geo- 

 graphic Society, of the Geological Society and 

 of the Washington Philosophical Society. 



In closing this sketch of the life of Mr. 

 Eimbeck, I wish to quote from a little notice 

 that was issued to the members of the Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey a few weeks since: 



A lifetime of study and research added to 

 charming natural eloquence and marked clarity 

 in exposition made Mr. Eimbeck one of the most 

 interesting and instructive companions, these dis- 

 tinguished qualifications being set off by a mod- 

 esty as extraordinary as the merits it failed to 

 obscure. Broad and tolerant in his sympathies 

 and with no thought for self in his generosity to 

 the unfortunate, the life just closed is one that 

 can justly claim only praise when it is referred 

 to, and affection when it is recalled. 



Edwin Smith 



