434 PROCEEDINGS OF BALTIMORE MEETING. 



Deciding to pursue his studies in Europe, he went to Germany in July 

 of the same year, and spent the summer and early autumn in perfecting 

 himself in the German language at Brunswick, going to Gottingen at the 

 opening of the winter semester. For a year he attended the lectures of 

 the renowned Professor Klein, which gave a decided mineralogical trend 

 to his future work. 



The summer of 1880 was emplo3^ed in an extended journey to southern 

 and eastern Europe. Italy and Greece were visited and their classic 

 volcanic areas studied, and the trip was extended to Constantinople and 

 the Danube. 



Upon his return to Germany in the autumn of 1880 he decided to con- 

 tinue his university studies at Heidelberg, where the great teacher, Pro- 

 fessor Rosenbusch, was drawing to his laboratory those who were anxious 

 to enter the comparatively new domain of microscopical petrography. It 

 was here that the young geologist acquired the exact methods of investi- 

 gation that so fully characterized his later work. For more than two 

 years Mr Williams remained under his distinguished teacher, and in 

 December of 1882 received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 



His thesis, which, with the exception of a single short article, was the 

 first of his scientific publications, dealt with the eruptive rocks of the 

 region of Tryberg, in the Black forest. It was a valuable paper, and at 

 once attracted the attention of geologists. 



Dr Williams returned to his home at the close of 1882, and during a 

 visit to Baltimore in the following March was offered, and accepted, the 

 position of Fellow by Courtesy in the Johns Hopkins University. A year 

 later he became a member of the academic staff, with the title of Associate, 

 which position he held until 1885, when he was made an Associate Pro- 

 fessor. In 1892 he became Professor of Inorganic Geology. 



From his entrance into the service of the University Dr Williams 

 directed his attention to a study of Maryland geology, and more espe- 

 cially to the Piedmont area lying to the west of Baltimore. Important 

 problems in rock metamorphism here presented themselves, and as a 

 result of this study numerous contributions were made to scientific 

 journals in this country and in Europe. The most important of these 

 publications is " The gabbros and associated hornblende rocks occurring 

 in the neighborhood of Baltimore."* Another valuable production is a 

 pamphlet dealing with the minerals occurring in the same region. Much 

 of the work in the Maryland area was done under the auspices of the 

 United States Geological Survey, with which organization Dr Williams 

 was closely connected ever after his return to America. He valued these 

 opportunities for investigation afforded by the immediate region not only 



* Bulletin 28 of the U. S. Geological Survey. 



