ADMIRAL R. W. MEADE, U. S. N. 



When the principal contents of this number of The National 

 Geographic Magazine were sent to the printer there was no in- 

 dication that the gallant and accomplished author of the article 

 "A Winter Voyage through the Straits of Magellan " would have 

 completed the long and eventful vo_yage of life before his stirring 

 narrative of one of the most interesting jDortions of his famous 

 cruise in the Narragansett could be placed in the hands of our 

 readers. On the first of May, however, he succumbed to the effects 

 of a surgical operation, from which he had been supposed by his 

 friends tohave permanently rallied. It is impossible, on the eve 

 of going to press, to present more than the briefest outline of Ad- 

 miral Meade's distinguished career or to render adequate tribute 

 to his memor3\ It must suffice to remind our readers of his 

 brilliant career at college ; of his becoming navigating officer of 

 the Camherland before he was 19 years of age; of his command 

 of a naval division, engaged with the enemy, before he was 25 ; 

 of the dauntless courage, good judgment, and unfailing skill that 

 won for him, time and again, the commendations of his superior 

 officers ; of his historic cruise of 60,000 miles, mainly under 

 canvas, in the Narragansett ; of his success as a professor of sea- 

 manship and naval tactics ; of his numerous contributions to 

 periodical literature, and of his ever-welcome appearances before 

 the National Geographic Society, of which he was an active 

 member. The accompanying article contains an allusion, which 

 we cannot regard as without significance, to " the Providence 

 which watches over poor Jack." Himself handsome, coura- 

 geous, true-hearted, and patriotic, we can say of Admiral Meade, 

 in the words of Dibclin's grand old sea-song : 



" His form was of the manliest beauty, 

 His heart was kind and soft ; 

 Faithful below he did his duty, 

 And now he's gone aloft." 



J. H. 



