May 24, 1912] 
vantages which he was thus enabled to offer 
those students who were devoting themselves 
to the science of meteorology, and the experi- 
ence of the men who had the privilege of his 
advice and help in the work at Blue Hill shows 
clearly how much they profited by this oppor- 
tunity. Only a short time before his death he 
had expressed the wish to bring about a still 
closer connection, for purposes of instruction, 
between the university and Blue Hill Observ- 
atory. He thus showed his appreciation of the 
importance of the new field of work which he 
had undertaken. 
While thus planning still further usefulness 
for his observatory; in the midst of a life 
singularly active; with an ever-widening 
sphere of scientific influence and a constantly 
increasing importance of his contributions to 
meteorology, Professor Rotch died suddenly 
in Boston on April 7, 1912, in the fifty-second 
year of his age. His wife, who was Miss 
Margaret Randolph Anderson, of Savannah, 
Ga., and three children survive him. 
Professor Rotch early developed that ab- 
sorbing interest in meteorology which caused 
him to devote his life to the advancement of 
that science. Possessed of large means, he 
preferred to work persistently, and not in- 
frequently to undergo discomfort and hard- 
ship in his chosen field of research, rather 
than to live a life of ease. Realizing the 
need of an institution which could be devoted 
to the collection of meteorological observa- 
tions, and to meteorological research, free 
from any entanglements, he established, in 
1885, Blue Hill Observatory. This was first 
oeeupied by Mr. Rotch and his observer, Mr. 
W. P. Gerrish, on February 1, 1885. This 
observatory he not only equipped and main- 
tained until his death, but he made provision 
in his will for having the work there carried 
on without a break. Blue Hill Observatory is 
to-day one of the few private meteorological 
observatories in the world, and there is not 
one which is better equipped. In fact, it is 
probably safe to say that there is no private 
scientific establishment which is better known 
for the high standard of its work. The Blue 
Hill Observatory was, with the exception of 
SCIENCE 
809 
the municipal meteorological station in New 
York, the first in this country to be equipped 
with self-recording instruments, and it is to- 
day one of the comparatively few in the world 
where nearly every meteorological element is 
continuously recorded. Beginning with 1886, 
hourly values have been printed. Professor 
Rotch took a splendid pride in his observatory, 
and in its equipment, and his library, to 
which he devoted constant care, was one of 
the most complete and valuable in the world. 
Professor Rotch early realized that the ad- 
vance of meteorology must come through a 
study of the free air, and with keen and pro- 
phetic judgment he planned and carried out 
the remarkable series of investigations which 
have made Blue Hill so famous. He secured 
assistants who were well fitted to carry out 
the researches which he planned and super- 
vised. He thus showed his ability to judge 
the value of men, as well as his capacity to or- 
ganize the work for them to do. Mr. H. H. 
Clayton became a member of the Observatory 
staff in 1886, and served, as observer and 
meteorologist, with some interruptions, for 
twenty-three years. His work brought dis- 
tinction to himself and to the observatory. 
Mr. S. P. Ferguson joined the staff in 1887, 
and remained there until 1910. Many new 
instruments were devised by him, and per- 
fected with care and success. Mr. A. EH. 
Sweetland died after eight years of service 
and was succeeded, in 1903, by Mr. L. A. 
Wells, who is now observer-in-charge, with 
Mr. A. H. Palmer as research-assistant. Year 
after year the Blue Hill publications have con- 
tained results of far-reaching importance. It 
is not an exaggeration to say that much of the 
recent rapid advance of meteorological science 
is due to the pioneer work which was done at 
Blue Hill. 
Under an arrangement entered into be- 
tween Blue Hill Observatory and the Astro- 
nomical Observatory of Harvard College, Pro- 
fessor Rotch was, for nearly twenty-five years, 
closely associated with the latter institution. 
All of the observations made at Blue Hill 
were published in the Annals of the Harvard 
Observatory, and fill eight quarto volumes. 
