11 



in the ' Philosophical Magazine ' for 1838. From that date onward 

 for some years he continued his enquiries, and published in the 

 Reports of the British Association or elsewhere his results, some of 

 which were of such practical value as materially to conduce to the 

 advance of photography, and to entitle him to a place among the 

 pioneers in this important practical application of science. He still 

 further increased his reputation by publishing his well known 

 manual on photography, which passed through six editions, and by 

 his " Researches on Light," the first edition of which appeared in 

 1844. 



In 1840 Hunt's devotion to science and his indefatigable industry 

 were recognised by his appointment as Secretary of the Royal Corn- 

 wall Polytechnic Society, at Falmouth. Five years later, after he 

 had given still further proofs of his abilities, and had attracted the 

 notice of De la Beche, the Director- General of the Geological Survey, 

 he was made Keeper of Mining Records, a new office then created 

 in connexion with the Office of the Survey, at Craig's Court. In 1-851, 

 when the School of Mines was started, in Jermyn Street, he became 

 Lecturer on Mechanical Science, retaining at the same time his other 

 appointment in the Mining Record Office. But after a few years he 

 was relieved of the duties of his lecturership, that he might devote 

 himself more uninterruptedly to the laborious duties of the collection 

 and tabulation of the statistics of mines all over the United Kingdom. 

 It was in these duties that he was chiefly engaged during the rest of 

 his long and active life, until, at the age of seventy-six years, he 

 retired on a well-merited pension. While assiduously devoted to the 

 official work of his office, which involved him in continual correspon- 

 dence with mining authorities and frequent journeys into the various 

 mining districts, Hunt yet found time, mostly in his evenings, to 

 undertake much independent literary work. Chief among these 

 labours was his series of successive editions of Ure's " Dictionary of 

 Arts, Manufactures, and Mines." But he was also a constant con- 

 tributor to literary and scientific journals. Most of his original 

 scientific work, which was mainly in the department of photographic 

 chemistry, was done between the years 1838 and 1853. In 1854 he 

 was elected into this Society. He died after a brief illness on 17th 

 October, 1887. His remarkably gentle and sympathetic nature led to 

 his making a large circle of friends, and gave him probably a wider 

 influence in the mining community of this country than was possessed 

 by any other man. 



A. G. 



Robert Cornelis, Lord Napier of Magdala, was born in Ceylon 

 on the 6th December, 1810, and died in London on the 14th January, 

 1890. His father was Captain C. F. Napier, R.A. He was educated 



