Vol. IV] GEORGE DAVIDSON \\ 



whole front coast from San Diego to Port Townsend. As- 

 sistance in this great work was rendered by some United 

 States Navy officers then on the coast, who carried on the 

 topography based on Davidson's determinations of latitude and 

 longitude. 



From 1854 to 1858 Prof. Davidson was in command of the 

 survey brig "Fauntleroy," and much work was done on the 

 Sound and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This involved much 

 exposure. In consequence Lawson, who continued the work, 

 suffered tortures from rheumatism up to the time of his death, 

 and Davidson suffered intensely from neuralgia for years 

 afterwards. 



How painstaking he was in regard to his base-lines may be 

 gathered from the following memorandum in the Professor's 

 handwriting, which appears on the back of a photograph of 

 himself in his sister's possession, and which was kindly fur- 

 nished by her to the writer. It relates to a base measured in 

 1888-89: 



G. D. January, 1889. At measurement of the Los Angeles base-line, 

 ten and three-fourths miles long, second measurement differed from the 

 first 1/3 inch, third differed 1/120 inch from the second. Worked in 

 measurement, computations, etc., 17 to 18 hours daily for three months. 



In 1868 Davidson was placed in charge of the Western 

 Division of the Geodetic Survey, and himself mapped out the 

 work to be done. He never sent out subordinates on difficult 

 or dangerous duty, but went into the field personally. There 

 is not a square mile where the work was carried on in Cali- 

 fornia, Oregon, or Washington, that he did not occupy. His 

 devotion to duty was even greater than his ability and capacity 

 for work. 



No other American in the public service received during his 

 life such general scientific acknowledgment from all countries 

 as did George Davidson. He was elected to membership in 

 thirty-two learned societies and academies, including the Royal 

 Astronomical Society, the American Philosophical Society, the 

 National Academy of Sciences, the National Geographical So- 

 ciety, the Royal Geographical Society, and the Bureau des 

 Longitudes of France. 



Davidson's signal services to the United States Government 

 were no less remarkable than the honors which were heaped 



