Vol. 69.] ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. Ixvii 



In 1879 Stiffe was appointed Port Officer at Calcutta, and in 

 1890 he was Engineer-in-Chief of the Halifax-Bermuda cable, which 

 he successfully laid. He was the author of sailing directions for 

 the Persian Gulf and other seas, and was a Younger Brother of 

 the Trinity House. 



Stiffe joined the Geologists' Association in 1894, and served on 

 the Council of that Association from 1902 to 1908, during a part of 

 which time he was Vice-President. 



During his latter years he was accustomed to spend some weeks 

 in the summer in Norway. Keturning home at the end of July, 

 •apparently in good health, he celebrated his 81st birthday with 

 his family at Goring. Two days afterwards, on "Wednesday, 

 August 14th, 1912, the end came suddenly. 



Captain Stiffe married in 1863 Henrietta, daughter of John 

 Stone, J.P., D.L. for Buckinghamshire, and they had two sons and 

 -a daughter. He was a man of great energy and of a most genial 

 disposition, and will be much missed by his large circle of friends 

 among geologists. [H. W, M.] 



Joseph Dickinson was born on November 24th, 1818, at 

 Newcastle-on-Tyne. He received his early education at Dr. Bruce's 

 school in that town, but in 1833 became a pupil of Mr. Thomas 

 Sopwith, E.R.S., a mining and civil engineer of eminence. During 

 the spring terms of 1839-40 he conducted the preliminary classes 

 •of Sir Charles Lemon's Experimental Mining School at the Boyal 

 Institution, Truro. In 1840 he entered on active service at the 

 Dowlais Ironworks and Mines, and in 1842 set out the first 

 .railway-sidings at the Bute Docks, Cardiff. Leaving Dowlais in 

 1847, he spent three years at the Nithsdale Ironworks, Scotland, 

 where he laid out railways and opened mines. In 1850, the first 

 Act of Parliament for the Inspection of Mines in Great Britain 

 having been passed, Joseph Dickinson was one of the four inspectors 

 then appointed, and was placed in charge of Lancashire, Cheshire, 

 North Wales, Staffordshire, Shropshire, and Worcestershire. Eor 

 41 years Mr. Dickinson well served his country. He was engaged 

 on numerous Government enquiries and missions, and in 1 866 was 

 appointed a member of the Royal Coal Commission, of which he 

 was the sole survivor when the lloyal Commission on Coal-Supplies 

 reported in 1905. On December 31st, 1891, at the age of 73, he 

 resigned his post as Inspector of Mines, but till the day of his 

 •death maintained an active interest in the practical applications of 



