232 George Frederic Barker. 



From 1868 to 1900 he was associate Editor of this Journal, 

 and tlio abstracts of choniieal and physical papers which he 

 contributed regularly during this period are remarkable for 

 their clearness and accuracy. In 1874-75 he was Editor of 

 the Journal of the Franklin Institute. 



In 1892 appeared his "Physics, Advanced Course" from the 

 press of Henry Ilolt & Company, which immediately met 

 with a most hearty reception and became a standard among 

 the text-books on this important subject. 



It follows naturally that to one so active in the scientific 

 world there should have been awarded numerous honors. 

 Thus, in 1881, Dr. Barker was United States Commissioner to 

 the Paris Electrical Exhibit, a delegate to the Electrical, Con- 

 gress, and Vice-President of the Jury of Awards, receiving tjie 

 decoration of Commander of the Legion of Honor in France; 

 in 1884, he was United States Commissioner to the Electrical 

 Exhibit in Philadelphia ; and in 1893, a member of the Jury 

 of Awards of the World's Columbian Exposition. He was an 

 active member of the National Academy of Sciences, serving 

 on many of its important committees, and also of the American 

 Association for the Advancement of Science, of which he was 

 Vice-President twice, delivering on one of these occasions an 

 address on "The Molecule and the Atom," a most valuable 

 contribution to theoretical chemistry, and President in 1879; 

 his presidential address in 1880 has already been referred to. 

 He was a corresponding member of the British Association. 

 He was President of the American Chemical Society (1891), 

 the subject of his presidential address being " The Borderland 

 between Physics and Chemistry." He was Secretary and later 

 a Vice-President of the American Philosophical Society from 

 1899 until 1909. He was a member of the Physical Society 

 and of the Deutsche Chemische Gesellschaft. In 1899 he 

 became an honorary member of the Royal Institute of Great 

 Britain. He was the recipient of the following academic 

 honors : Doctor of Science from the University of Pennsyl- 

 vania in 1898; LL.D from Allegheny College in 1898; and 

 LL.D from McGill University in 1900. 



He became Emeritus Professor of Physics in the University 

 of Pennsylvania in 1900. He was a member of the Century 

 Club of New York and the University Club of Washington. 



In 1861, Dr. Barker was married to Mary M. Treadway of 

 New Haven, Conn., who with three daughters survive this 

 devoted and loving husband and father. 



Dr. Barker was born at Charlestown, Mass., July 14, 1836, 

 and died at Philadelphia on May 24, 1910. His was a beau- 

 tiful life, so full of service to his fellow-men and so rich 

 in its achievements that it will ever i-emain a most precious 

 memory to his many friends. 



Edgar F. Smith. 



