part 1] AlSiyiVERSAUr MEETIXa — LYELL MEDAL. xU 



Award of the Lyell Medal. 



In handing the Lyell Medal, awarded to Dr. Chaeles DAYisoy, 

 to Prof. W. W. Watts for transmission to the recipient, the 

 President addressed him as follows : — 



Professor Watts, — 



The Council has awarded the Lyell Medal to Dr. Davison. Not 

 unmindful of his contributions to observational geology, or of his 

 contributions to the problems connected with the constitution and 

 ■consolidation of the Earth, it has based this award mainly on his 

 lifelong devotion to the study of earthquakes. Commencing at a 

 time when he was almost alone, in this country, as a student of 

 the subject, he has steadfastly accumulated a mass of detailed 

 observations and critical discussion, \Yhich has very materially 

 -advanced our knowledge. His recognition of the duplex origin 

 •of certain earthquakes has been fruitful of result, and has been 

 extended by others, until it is now a truism that the origin of an 

 ■earthquake need not be from a single centre, but may be of a 

 very complex and extended character. To a long list of published 

 ■contributions to the study of earthquakes he has recently added, 

 hj the issue of a manual of that older branch of seismology, 

 more especiallj^ connected with geology, in which the subject is 

 handled in a lucid and philosophical manner. In recognition of 

 these services the Council decided to award to him one of the 

 medals at their disposal, and to select that which is associated 

 with the memory of one who, in his time, did much to collect, 

 •disseminate, and extend the knowledge of earthquakes ; and, in 

 handing it to you for transmission to him, I ma}^ express a personal 

 pleasure in the fact that almost the last act of my tenure of the 

 Presidency should be the presentation of this award to one who 

 lias been known and valued, as co-operating in a line of research 

 which has always had special interest to myself. 



Prof. W. W. Watts expressed his regret that Dr. Davison was 

 prevented by illne-s from receiving the Medal in person. He 

 pointed out the appropriateness of the award of the Lyell Medal 

 to one who had done so much to prove the uniformity of geological 

 -causes at the present day, and whose method of research was 

 ■essentially L3^ellian in character. He asked permission to com- 

 municate Dr. Davison's acknowledgment in his own words : — 



* It is with no little reg^ret that I find mvself unable to b(^ 



