Vol. 56.J ANNIVERSARY MEETING WOLLASTON MEDAL. xll 



Award oe the Wollaston Medal. 



In handing the Wollaston Medal, awarded to Prof. Grove Karl 

 Gilbert, E.M.G.S., of Washington, to Mr. Henry White, Secretary 

 of the American Embassy, for transmission to the recipient, the 

 President addressed him as follows : — 



Mr. White, — 



For many years Prof. Gilbert has contributed to several American 

 publications papers of a most varied kind, some dealing with im- 

 portant subjects appertaining to the Geology of the United States 

 and some with matters of still wider interest. 



The same may be said of his series of Reports, etc. to the 

 Geological Survey of the United States, beginning with the well- 

 known ' Geology of the Henry Mountains,' in which the volcanic 

 structure known as a laccolite was first described, and a masterly 

 summary of the principles of erosion was given. The Essay on the 

 Topographical Features of Lake-shores, descriptive of the work of 

 waves, of streams, and of ice, of the formation of deltas, of cliffs, and 

 of terraces, naturally led up to the great monograph on Lake 

 Bonneville, the tracing out of a former feature (whereof the present 

 Great Salt Lake is the diminished representative), written in such a 

 way as to make one almost feel that the old lake is there still. 



]^or has Prof. Gilbert neglected those more practical matters that 

 press themselves on officers of a Geological Survey, for he has 

 written also on the Underground Water of the Arkansas Valley ; 

 but the lake-fever keeps with him, and has led him to take up the 

 question of recent earth-movements in the region of the Great 

 Lakes, on which we had from him an elaborate essay in 1898, 

 leading to the conclusion that change is still going on, and pointing 

 out the results that will occur if it continues. 



We feel that Prof. Gilbert is an honour to the Survey of which he 

 has long been an officer, and a worthy successor of his countrymen 

 James Hall and J. D. Dana as our Wollaston Medallist, for his 

 work is not only American, but appeals to the world at large. 



Mr. White replied in the following words : — 



Mr. President, — 



It has given me great pleasure to attend this interesting 

 meeting to-day, and to receive on behalf of my fellow-countryman, 



