MEMORIAL OF G. F. BECKER 15 



a man always distinguished for extraordinary In-eadth of view. He by 

 no means always shared Kelvin's conclusions, particularly in his investi- 

 gation of the age of the earth and kindred subjects, but his admiration 

 for the pertinence and breadth of Kelvin's reasoning was outspoken. 



Dr. Becker's death, just at the close of the great war, in which he took 

 the keenest interest throughout, recalls to mind an even more personal 

 quality. He was practically without fear and often expressed the impulse 

 of his heart, namely, that, next to being a student of the interior of the 

 earth, he would choose to he an army officer in the field. Dr. Becker 

 visited the Philippines in 1898 Avith the United States forces under com- 

 mand of General (then Major) J. Franklin Bell and saw a considerable 

 portion of the Philippine insurrection of that year. In Major BelFs 

 official report to Major General Mc Arthur, commanding the Second 

 Division of the Eighth Army Corps, the following interesting paragraph 

 occurs imder date of February 11, 1898 : 



"I have reserved for the end of this letter mention of the exceedingly gallant 

 and courageous conduct of Prof. George F. Becker, United States Geologist, 

 because in accordance with his idea of his duty he insisted on accompanying 

 me into this fight (Galooean) and remained with the company, nnicli of the 

 time mounted, throughout the entire engagement. He was as cool and col- 

 lected as if he were pursuing geological investigations in his study, encour- 

 aged the men behind whom he was standing, and rendered other valuable 

 services which required him to pass, mounted, immediately in rear of the 

 entire line. I am sorry that, not being a soldier, he cannot receive the reward 

 Avhicli his courage and gallantry has entitled him to." 



With but a single interruption of two years (1892-1894), Dr. Becker 

 was a "Geologist in Charge" or chief of division in the United States 

 Geological Survey from its establishment, in 1879, to the time of his 

 death, a period of almost forty years. In this position, which he pre- 

 ferred to any other which the Survey offered, he found opportunity to 

 initiate the many new directions of research with which his name stands 

 inseparably associated, and he was spared much of the dull administra- 

 tive routine of Washington departmental life which he particularly al)- 

 horred. Indeed, it may be said of Dr. Becker that the advancement of 

 these various lines of geophysical research was the dominating purpose 

 of his life. Many times during the last twenty years I have heard liim 

 say, with that intensity of expression so characteristic of him when in 

 conversation upon the subject he loved, that the study of the interim* of 

 the earth was the only thing really worth while. 



Though born in New York City (January 5, 1847), Dr. Becker's early 

 Hfe was spent in Cambrid^v. "Massacliusetts, where his preference for 



