290 Eminent Lking Geologists — Sir Andrew C. Ramsay. 



map and model were exhibited at the Meeting of the British Associa- 

 tion in 1840, and attracted the attention of geologists. The result 

 was, that Mr. (afterwards Sir) Eoderick Murchison asked Mr. 

 Eamsay to accompany him to Eussia, the geological examination 

 of which country he was about to undertake at the invitation of 

 the Emperor. The offer made was not likely to be refused by an 

 ardent aspirant for geological honours, warmed with his first success. 

 But in March, 1841, Eamsay having proceeded to London to join 

 Murchison, Mr. (afterwards Sir Henry) De la Beche offered him 

 the post of Assistant-Geologist on the Geological Survey of Great 

 Britain ; which, after due consideration, he preferred to accept. In 

 April of that year Mr. Eamsay joined the Geological Survej^ors at 

 Tenby. Eeleased from uncongenial city pursuits, associating with 

 De la Beche, Professor John Phillips, and the younger members of 

 the Geological Survey, living almost among the hills, by the rivers, 

 and on the sea-coasts of South Wales, every day to him seemed 

 a holiday. In this year Mr. Eamsay published his "Geology of the 

 Isle of Arran," and geological science became the aim and object of 

 his life. In 1844 he was elected a Fellow of the Geological Society. 

 In 1845 the Geological Survey of Great Britain was remodelled, 

 and Ireland was included in it. Mr. De la Beche was appointed 

 Director- General for the United Kingdom, with two Local Directors, 

 Mr. A. C. Eamsay being appointed Local Director for Great Britain, 

 and Captain (afterwards Colonel Sir Henry) James the Local Director 

 for Ireland. Sir Henry James subsequently became the head of the 

 Ordnance Survey, and was succeeded in Ireland by Dr. Oldham, 

 afterwards Director-General of the Geological Survey of India, who 

 was followed by Professor Jukes. Sir Henry James, Dr. Oldham, 

 and Professor Jukes have now all passed " into the silent land," but 

 their names and labours will live long after them. 



As Local Director of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, 

 Eamsay was brought into contact with most of the young rising 

 men of science, amongst whom he had, as his special friends, 

 Edward Forbes, Lyon Playfair, Eobert Hunt, A. E. C. Selwyn, and 

 Waringtou Smyth, and he was fairly launched on that scientific 

 career in which he has since won such a world-wide reputation. 



In 1848 he was appointed to the Chair of Geology in University 

 College, London, and he was elected a Fellow of the Eoyal Society 

 in 1849. Professor Eamsay held this chair until 1851, when 

 he resigned it for the Professorship of Geology in the Eoyal 

 School of Mines, which was opened on the 6th of November by an 

 inaugural discourse delivered by Sir H. De la Beche. This was 

 followed by opening lectures from Dr. Lyon Playfair, C.B., F.E.S., 

 Professor Edward Forbes, F.E.S,, Mr. Eobert Hunt, F.E.S., one 

 from Professor Eamsay, F.E.S., " On the Science of Geology and its 

 Application," one by Professor W. W. Smyth, M.A., and one by Dr. 

 J. Percy, F.E.S. When the British Association met at Cheltenham 

 in 1856, Prof. Eamsay was the President of the Geological Section, 

 on which occasion he delivered an address " On Breaks in the Suc- 

 cession of the British Eocks," showing the connexion of uncon- 



