Dec., 1891. 
PROFESSOR LAPWORTH, F.R.S. 
267 
Britain. This made the greater stir, as similar fossils 
were detected about the same time in America and Europe. 
Dr. Lapworth’s work is quite as well known abroad as in 
England, for his results when published could at once be tested 
and employed anywhere among the older rocks in any part 
of the world where they occur; so that the geological 
literature of other countries for several years past contains 
abundant allusions to his results and opinions—the former 
being found generally adopted, the latter being often 
strenuously attacked and resisted. 
Many of the younger geologists in Britain and abroad 
have enthusiastically worked more or less in company with 
Professor Lapworth at the unsolved problems of the older 
rocks and fossils—each in his own sphere—and the results of 
the common advances made are seen in the fact that several 
of the old controversies that barred the progress of geological 
science are fast disappearing. 
For instance, the old Highland controversy of about thirty 
years’ standing was practically laughed out of existence when 
the results quite independently obtained in the North-west 
of Scotland by Lapworth and by the officers of the Survey 
proved to be almost identical, shewing that both of the 
old contending parties were right, and both were wrong. 
On the Continent of Europe an equally exasperating con¬ 
troversy on what was called the Theory of Colonies had 
smouldered for years ; but almost immediately English and 
foreign geologists employed Lapworth’s facts and results 
connected with the Graptolites, in studying the question, the 
old difficulties disappeared, and the controversy has since 
become practically extinct. In the same way, Dr. Lapworth 
courageously endeavoured to reconcile the disputants in the 
famous Sedgwick-Murchison controversy by proposing the 
title of Ordovician for the old Lower Silurian or Upper Cam¬ 
brian system in dispute; and, although a few of the older 
geologists are still reluctant to accept the olive branch, the 
younger British workers seem all to have adopted the name, 
and the old controversy is slowly dying a natural death. 
Professor Lapworth was appointed to the Mason College 
in 1881, his candidature being supported by some of the chief 
geologists of Britain and Europe. He had the honorary 
degree of LL.D. of Aberdeen conferred upon him in 1884 ; in 
1887 was awarded the Bigsby Gold Medal of the Geological 
Society of London ; in 1888 was elected to the Fellowship of 
the Royal Society, and is an honorary member of several 
British and Foreign Geological Societies. He has been 
examiner in Geology to the University of Cambridge, and 
holds at the present time the like place in the University 
of London. W. H. 
