Xlii PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [May IQOO, 



Prof. Gilbert, the Wollaston Medal which has been awarded to him 

 by the Council of this Society for important researches concerning 

 the mineral structure of the earth — au honour which, as you have 

 just pointed out, has hitherto been conferred upon two other 

 Americans only, the late James Hall and the late J. D. Dana. 



Particularly gratifying has it been to me, as I am sure it will be 

 to all who know Prof. Gilbert, to hear, from the statement which 

 you have just read, how highly his work is appreciated by the 

 Geological Society of London. He deeply regrets that it should 

 not have been possible for him, owing to engagements of a pressing 

 nature at home, to come here to-day and to receive this Medal 

 himself, but I shall not fail to inform him of the very kind manner 

 in which its presentation has been made, and of the applause which 

 has greeted each mention of his name at this meeting. 



I beg to thank the Council of this Society most sincerely, on 

 Prof. Gilbert's behalf, for the honour thus conferred upon him, 

 an honour which he highly appreciates, as does the United States 

 Geological Survey, of whose staff he has been a distinguished 

 member since its foundation in 1878. 



Perhaps I may be permitted, as one who has been closely con- 

 nected for many years past with the diplomatic relations between 

 the United States and Great Britain, to add that I always welcome 

 with especial pleasure occasions of this kind, on which marks of 

 appreciation are conferred by Scientific Societies of one country 

 upon eminent men of the other, as they not only tend to draw 

 more closely together the people of Great Britain and America, but 

 they demonstrate to the rest of the world that the two nations are 

 working together for the' furtherance of science, and consequently 

 for the advancement of civilization. 



Award of the Murchison Medal. 



The President then handed the Murchison Medal, awarded to Baron 

 Adolf Erik Nobdensetold, F.M.G.S., of Stockholm, to His Excel- 

 lency Count Carl Lewenhaupt, Minister for Sweden and Norway, 

 for transmission to the recipient, addressing him as follows : — 



Your Excellency, — 



Baron Nordenskiold has given much of his time to the arduous 

 work of Arctic exploration, having visited Spitsbergen twice, the 



