14 THE WEST AMERICAN SCIENTIST. 



ment of scientific research by the State, the necessity for a physical survey of this 

 State, etc. To the Geographical Society of the Pacific he has presented papers upon 

 the ascent of the Makushin volcano, the eruptions of Bogoslov and other volcanoes, 

 on the shoaling of the bar of Sm Francisco ba/, the dangers of future shoaliag, etc. 

 After Prof. Peirce's appointment as superinten lent of the coa t survey, in 1867, 

 Prof. Davidson was placed in charge of the work on the Pacific Coast, and laid out 

 all the schemes of work for all parties from 1839 to 1875, and inspected all the fields 

 of work. An appeal to the rec )rds will show greater general progress and more 

 system in that period than at any other. He made teleg-aphic connections for long- 

 itude with all the different centers of triangulation and topography, and in the tele- 

 graphic longitude work between Sm Francisco and Cambridge, determined directly 

 the signal time over 7,200 miles of line. He determined the eastern boundary, 120th 

 xneridian, of California, in 1873. 



In 1881 he measure 1 the longest base-line ye !; attempted in trigonometrical 

 operations, and with the greatest accuracy. In acknowledgment of the character 

 of the system of triangulation developed from the Yolo base-line to the Sierra 

 Nevada and the Coast ran^e, and the high standard of the ob^ervatio is, the super- 

 intendent has designated it by the name of " Davidson Quadrilaterals." 



Professor Davidson holds the position of Honorary Professor of Geodesy and 

 Astronomy in the Univ rsity of California (1873), made at the suggestion of Prof. 

 Peirce, and was a regent of the same institution fro:n 1877 to 1884. At his own 

 expense he has maintained the first astronomic il observatory on the Pacific Coast of 

 North America, and has given the use of his equatorial to the survey when special 

 observations demanded it. 



In 1873 he was appointed by the Pr3sident of the United Sta*^es one of the 

 three U. S. Comm'ssioners of Irrigation of California, with General B. S. Alexander 

 and Colonel G. H. Men lell. The report made by these Commissioners was publish- 

 ed by the Government. Professor Davidson afterwards went officially through 

 Indi^, Egypt, Italy, etc., to study the same subject, and to examine and report upon 

 harbors of re'uge, etc. 



Aside from his scientific attainments in special branches, the subject of this 

 sketch is an exceptionally well-informed man on general topics. Traveled and well 

 read, there are few subjects which have esca; ed his attention. His social qualities 

 are such as to have endeare 1 him to a la g3 ci.-cle of friends, and his convesational 

 powers of a character to make him one of the most agreeable' of compan'ons. Few 

 men are so frequently consulted for advice or informat on. It is one of his peculi- 

 arities that he takes the greatest interest in young men, and is always ready to assist 

 them in any possible way, a fact to which many he has helped can testify. Having 

 grown sons of his own, he appreciates the thoughts and feelings of young men better 

 than most men in his position ara ajjt to do. 



Librarians and the secretaries of scientific societies are invited to exchange their 

 publications for this journal, as well as other publishers and' authors of scientific 

 works. 



