SKETCHES OF DECEASED MEMBERS. — PIERS. CI 



on that account, as he seems to have then gone to Canada and 

 could not take an active part in its proceedings, and most 

 likely never took up his membership. (See. Diet, of Nat. 

 Biog., Suppl. vol. ii., p. 166). 



Pierce Stevens Hamilton. — Born at Truro, N. S., 1826; 

 died at Halifax, 22nd February, 1893. He matriculated at 

 Acadia College, but did not graduate. Admitted an attorney 

 in 1851 and a barrister in 1852, and practised at first at Truro, 

 and afterwards at Halifax. Abandoned his profession to take 

 up journalism, and edited the Acadian Recorder from 1853 to 

 1861. In 1863 was appointed the first Go d Commissioner of 

 Nova Scotia and the next year his duties were extended and 

 he became Chief Commissioner of Mines, holding office till 

 about 1867. About 1871 he went to western Canada and 

 re-entered journalism, but finally returned to Halifax where he 

 died under somewhat distressing circumstances. He was 

 elected a member of the Institute on 2nd March, 1863, served 

 for a time in its council, and contributed three papers to its 

 Transactions on geology and physical geography. He also 

 published several pamphlets on other subjects. (See Morgan's 

 Bibliotheca Canadensis; also Acadian Recorder, 22 Feb., 1893.) 



William Chamberlain Silver. — Born at Preston, Hali= 

 fax Co., Dec, 1814, son of William Nyan Silver, of Kentish 

 extraction, who came to Nova Scotia in 1804; died at 

 Halifax, 23rd February, 1903. Mr. Silver was a well known 

 and philanthropic merchant of Halifax, the memory of whom 

 is still fresh in our minds. While not at all an active worker 

 in the field of science, he took an interest in it, and joined 

 the Institute on 7th May, 1864. It is as a faithful officer of the 

 society for the very long period of over thirty-five years, that he 

 deserves notice here. He was elected its second treasurer, 

 succeeding Capt. W. Lyttleton, on 9th October, 1867, and 

 nominally retained the office (although in latter years de- 

 puting the work) till his death — the longest office term we 



