XXX11 



on bringing together alcohol and resin suspended in water in capillary 

 spaces. In 1851 appeared his book " Annotationes Anatomicas et 

 Physiol ogicse," a work which contains accounts of his most valuable 

 investigations. 



Weber lived in intimate friendship with his two brothers — Wilhelm, 

 his fellow worker on the theory of waves, and a younger one, Edward, 

 who also settled in Leipzig. He lived to the advanced age of 83, and 

 died on January the 26th, 1878, at Leipzig. 



E. H. Weber was elected a foreign member of the Royal Society in 

 1862. 



In Bennet Woodceoft the Society loses a man who occupied himself 

 rather with, the application of scientific principles to practical pur- 

 poses than with theoretical investigations. He was born at Heaton 

 Norris, Stockport, on the 29th of December, 1803, and in due time 

 entered into partnership with his father, who carried on the business 

 of a dyer and velvet finisher at Salford. Previous to this he had ac- 

 quired a practical knowledge of the art of weaving, and had also 

 studied chemistry under Dalton, of whom he became a favourite pupil. 

 About 1843 he commenced business in Manchester as a consulting: 

 engineer, and shortly afterwards removed to London. In April, 1847, 

 he was appointed Professor of Machinery at University College, which 

 post he held until July, 1851. He was not a successful lecturer, for 

 although his views were clear and decided, and he possessed the 

 mechanical faculty in a high degree, he lacked the power of sustained 

 exposition necessary, to a successful lecturer. Upon the passing of 

 the Patent Law Amendment Act m 1852, Woodcroft was appointed 

 by Lord Cranworth, then Lord Chancellor, to the post of Superin- 

 tendent of Specifications, a somewhat anomalous title which in no 

 way indicated the responsible nature of the duties he was afterwards 

 called upon to perform. On the retirement of Mr. Edmunds, he be- 

 came, August 1st, 1864, Clerk of the Commissioners, which placed 

 him in sole control of the department. He retired from the public 

 service March 31st, 1876, and his death occurred February 7, 1879, at 

 his house in Redcliffe Gardens. 



In many respects it would have been difficult if not impossible to 

 have found a better man to place at the head of the Patent Office than 

 Mr. Woodcroft. Himself an inventor, he had an extensive acquaint- 

 ance with inventors ; he knew their peculiar needs, and he possessed 

 an intimate knowledge of the patent laws. His name will always be 

 associated with the great work of printing and indexing the patent 

 specifications — a series of records which present an unbroken view of 

 the industrial progress of the nation for more than two hundred and 

 fifty years. He displayed the keenest interest in all that related to 

 inventions, and he spent much time in clearing up doubtful points in 



