george f. becker - national academy of sciences · george ferdinand becker by geoncu p....

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MEMOIRS I{ATIONAL ACADEMY OF SOIENOES \folurne ><><I SX:CO\¡-D ilTE:TIIOIFÙ OF THE I'NITED SîATES GOYERNMENT PRINTING OT'F'ICE IV'ASHINGlON tg27 l

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Page 1: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

MEMOIRS

I{ATIONAL ACADEMY OF SOIENOES

\folurne ><><ISX:CO\¡-D ilTE:TIIOIFÙ

OF THE

I'NITED SîATESGOYERNMENT PRINTING OT'F'ICE

IV'ASHINGlONtg27

l

Page 2: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

NA,TIO}{Á'L A.CÁ.DEM T OX' SCIENOES

Volurne X>(fSECO}TD }T.E]\4OIT¿

BTOGRAPHITAL MEMOIR GEORGE FERDINANÐ BEOKER

7.A47 - trg19

BY

GEORGE P. MERRILL

Pn'nsnllrr¡ To rHE Aceon¡¿v .a.T TEE ,{n¡lu¡¡, Mnnrrwa, 1924

Page 3: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

fuf trß. e/Å""--

Page 4: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

L

.: ''-. i.i.t: ..,...

GEORGE FERDINAND BECKERBy Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r,

Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxanderCbristian Becker, of a Danish family, settled in Archangel, Russia, where it,is etated the headof the house (Samuel Becker) held for a timo tho offico of Danish consql, holding his commissiondirect from the King of Denmark. Samuel Becker wa,s¡ a man ,of considerable wealth'and given,to lavish entertaining, but lost'his property through absorption in science, particularþ the newlchemigtry. On account of thess financial troubles, Algxander Becker (the father of George F.)came to ihe United States and settled in New York., , His frsú venúure wq,s iú mereantile life'but finding this distasteful he,studied medicino and gutered upon the practice of his profession,,but died when the subject of this sketch was 2 yoars.of age. :: ' 'ì '1: ìl

' ('Mymother'smaiden name" writes Doctor Becker, " was Sarah Cary Tuckerrian; a daughterof the Rev. Joseph luckerman kooyl in Boston as a philanthropist and.,the ûrst Minister-at-.La,rge. He was,a graduate of lIarvq,rd and an Overseer, and intimate friend of William EiloryChanning, Joseph Story and other prominent men of the day. The only scientific Tuckermanwa,si my mother's first, cousin, Edward, a member of this Academy [i. e., the National Academy'of sciericesl

" Cambridge, was selected as a residence by rnSr parents with a view to the education:of theirtwo children ,{lexander Rudolph and myself. My mother's Cambridge friends were for themost part in the University set. Benjamin A,,GouId wâ,s e very constant visitor. ' C. C. X'ultonand Louis Agassiz married Mary" Cary and Ðlizabeth Cary, f.rst cousirs of my mother. CharlesrHenry Davis, the founden of 'the Nautical Alnanach and later Rear,A.d¡dia! was a frequent and,welcome caller. Benjamin Peirce and Jeftries Wyman were lfüewise good neþhbors. We knew,Asa Gray more slightly but saw little ôf 'the Bonds. , Longfellow, Lowell, Richard IÏ. Dana;'Ifolmes and Wolcott Gibbs and Charles Eliot Norton were valued acquainta,nces.. ,

. " Most of the scientific m en took some little interest in me as a child but I owe most, to Ägassiz,P.eirceand\MJrEranwhoseemed.toIiketoencoufageme-inscienti.fiocuriosity.

,,,f 'Iwasflyingmykitein afieldonedayabout 1856, whenPeirce joinedme to ask if I knewwh5rit stayed uþ in the air. Of course f had no definite idea and he was at much pains to explain asmucb- as I could r¡rderstand of a distinctly difficült subject; he then and there excited an interestin my mind which has never yet wavereã."

There is, abundant.evidence in the,correspondence to.which,the present writer has had accoss

that between mother and son there was earþ devoloped a strong bond of afiection which was to,continue throughout their entire lives.

It is told oÏ George that when a boy of 4 years he quietly listened to his widowed mother alltho ovening u* *h"

""id th" history of tne ",iommonweaith of Massachusetts.'l After Ue naä,

been tucked iato bed, and sleep had come to him, his.Ioneþ mother wa,s overcome with memories.Going to the child's bed, she knelt down; the,little fellow must have felt her presence,'for horeacired ouô and touched her. "Oh, my child, who do you love?" said the mother. Thesleopy littie childish voice answered: "Anyone who will do good to the Commonwealth ofMaåsachusetts." ,,' '

. ., ''..' .

fn earþ youth Doctor Becker showed a decided taste forrnal,ulal history and was of a studious,and quiet,npturq, qaring little for the talk and games gf other þoys. , :. , .: : ..

'1 Games and sports interested me but little, " he wrote, " qnd my mother had oftsr to sendme to the Delta, now occupied by Memorial Hall, to play wlth the other boys. I could playloundórs and .prelRugbian tootball decently wetl but f prefgrreil gymnastics to these ga,meq,becausé,f could do them alone. The boys' talk:did not ilterest me and I had sense enough tomake no reference to natural history in their presence. - -

Page 5: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

2 GEORGE T'ERDINAND BÐCI(nR_MERRILI-¿TIÍEMOIBS NÂMONÄI,- tvoL xXI'

tr was somewhat adrift when a sinsle lecture on lgathematics opened mv eves t",!o,:1fX111o^?1:1Ïji3 t:fi::r was somewtr&u r!u''u wuerr a Þ4ó¡q ¡Yvss¡v

,i¿+"r"';ïã".*p.rtutioou and unrelated chinese puzzles. Thatoi great principles ând ideas, not a 'mér! iumtlè ¡, , ., : n ,--.:aL ^-- -L +L.^ :--+iliñli^-o sia reaeiúe^ we;re diÈtinc'vi:iii,iË"åii:#"1iiJ*:"bä*ä#ii";;t'äî"il;ir'"i"+iu"'"**.'i:o'*"""'"o"

,, Then (as ever since) the only society I cared for was such as I found mentally stimulating

and the only pleasur;;-f* -"-"1é-tno-se involying r?oqq mental e¡ertign' Chess I liked, but

"."ã, rt"r"a aou, the element of

.chance:spoiling the-fun. ' ' ':'

,,When I could oot ¡" at the Muserrm ó" in túe woodg and marshes I liked best to spend my

time on the lounge i" ãy -"rner's library with Audubon's text or Nuttall or Carpent'er's animal

physiology in myhands. I found them very stimulating to the imaginat'ion, as much so as scott''s

;-";;b, f,no,rgn in"t" too r enjoyed'rl ' - ì

Concerning his boyhood he also wroto:j ,,,It-rtrÐs a, ¿eugîrt tò me to roam alone about the woods especially those near Flesh ?ond and the m¿rsheínot'

far awgy, ,Not,a pool o" t'gro,re ru"ted inhabitants l knew bomething aboutr 'trn fact' I believe l eould recognizé'

each N.ew England,bird-*îi ** rr*rria¡ with nany of the reptiles. - r krie'w not orlv the frogs and the toads:

but.the spawn of *o*t oiä" .fu.ì"* uo4 n"vigq near$ s9, mu,ch of epbryologv from Agassiz it was delightful to'

follòw the development of'the iranslucent eggs from day to day, t. *"U as to watcfi thõ fasci"na-bing transforma¡

tiôu of,the tadpores. r ïì*d ;iluïn,*Ë""; *hrãh rlgenera¡v carried on:thebe expeditions but r rarelv ûred

*,éxcepüng wh"r, ,o*" u^irr;";;d; **;¿¿ øïrinlor ;;;;;;tètr;;¿re hil, a candidate for a$missio3 to !ne,

museum. Sometimesr noî"""t, I would praetice a:bii at a mark to keep my hand in' r one such day I waslon:

the,v¡ayrhome,when, a:ge4tleman .overtoot 49 afdseeing & nuseum arconouc cqllecting qPse in my hands asked

me what I had. I was tired and I didn't re99gni4g m¡Iinferlocg.lor.so I meq-e.ly replied'the Lali1 naSes nf-*j

ä:¿iåä¡: ffiú;iä"¿iääut* "fft ,ãf i+iti tn*" iib *uJ evidentlv ramiliar. Ee proceeded to ask me sorne.

questions r could r**"iìtt"* much.beyord riie and then launchedlout irìto'a'most delightful 15 uiiirutes

disquisition suitabre .¡o ;;;;[ cqpacity.- r was ash¿medr,c'harmed aä& instiucted as weil r might be for':it'

wa,siûo lesð than Jeffries wyman who had,thus honoured.â üttle boy.,.tr'.neve¡ met him afterwards without

årïvi"g away ideas ood to"Í-ptoved sense of method' ':

Becker was fitted for college in L,atin and Greelç under the tutelage of P-"-f: Te' B' Atkinson

and was admitted to l{u"ou"d ñ t8O+, ooly " with several ¡3,*ial conditions which did not troubls'

me. , I was glad to be an undorgraduaíe aod .,rus "oofiduot'I

could keep up with my class'

I had. no trouble i" d;;g so excãpting when colds ahd sore throats kept me out'of the class

roorn,a,s they sometim"*"did for weeks t'og"tn"".- Indeed, 1'þ¿d'plenty of-timerfor deàul-toryr

study, looking "p ""vini"g I _diq

not undãrstand and'always ûnding' that it 1ed. to'something

else tr'did "tt ""d;åh;ã: *r'ion'ouu¿ed nerr'search:"

Conceming Agassiz ¿¡fl his teachings he irrot'e: ' : ': 'iì

Very clearly imFressed upon my memo"y i, a passagé'from ooe oi hi, lectures delivereèi about this time

[probably 1g59]. S"¡ri;"iidiy it is as foUo*rìnougt l-cannoú of course guarantee its litêral accur¡cY' ' '!As'

investigators *" u"" o".".ã"-ifï open to new ideaswnãtne"'they'arise in our own minds or those of o-'r colleagues'

yet it must not be supposed that this habit is sufficient to assure'eur receptivity,without 'poqking'a consciQus

effórt to take broad views. Fund"-"1!4 ¿i""ãn "i"" occur only at comparativeþ long intervals and they

require a mental "eaa¡o'1meot

wnion i* ¿¡mconiäõ;t"åi';-a}i"t vã"tn iu puised' Thus when Harvev made his

great discovery of the ""ilolo,

structure of tiu*ä, til ,"i"otifi" life of ¿,ll the anatomistd over forty years ôld ri'as

arrested. so*e ac"epted the truth but confe-s-sed lhemselves'unable to revolutionize the conceptions which

had been the basis of their worþ, others vainly contended against the truth"' ': : ':

Good. precepts these but difhcult to follow u, tn" ¿"", Ãan himseff soon exemplif,ed' 'Ngt

long afterwards

l'leoriginoÍSpecùesappearedandlwell,"-"*b""hisnextlecturetohigclass..{.9.was3þostovercomewithpain, indignation and ñå;"i.-' init hypothesisl;ì"H "c

;; l;Yfvalin a more insidious form of the thoroùghlv

exploded heresy of l,r-Lt. : Hã cootâìot ""pior io ,ru túe pain it gave him to see t'he great learning and ability

ofCharlesDarwinappliedtosophisticalandalmosú'blasphemousreasoning.Thebookcould.not'butdovast'harm.and wrong though it is, let no one suppose it easy tõ refute, unsound' On the contrary the v¿ist info¡ma-

tion and acute though misdirected argumerts åut. """pfy

most dÌffiqult' The safest way would t¡e not to read

iû at al1. Fancy such an injunction addresseã to that àet of yootn*- ¡t* t¡: lecture thev adjôurned to

putnam,s room ánd r think r must have ¡""""ii"iäiiîg"t;1""J i"", at any rate r went without receiving any

rebuff. of course it was an indignation *..tioe ihooen n-othing-abusi;;; J¿ o¡ tttu master: It wa1 l sreat

ãay,ãc"iti",repochinthelivesofmostoftheyoungmenpresent.About the middle of his collego course it, wurld seem his interest, in nalgrqJ hibigrV had

become considerablY cooled, and-

s, founcl among his na9e1s lltt,evictently prêparoal 8t about this time, â¡o of quito

exceptional morit and snow a tronã áiãìntl l¡ttle ¿reamed ofby thoss who knew him onlyin his lstsr vsars'

Page 6: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

AcADÈMr oF: ScIÈñcESlNo'2¡ : " ,

BIOGRAPHY

TRÁ,NSI,.{TION' O¡' PROF. BI'NBENIS . LETTEÊ

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bad: i..In the senior year;I.took'analytical and celesüial mechanics under;R-eni..Peüce; with a single otherilass-qate, ¡peircq wenl.1qo fasü but he.was inspiring, and wg were lhuq brgtrg4:t;ipþ, contact witn-.3, reaþ orlginef

íni*L". I çame out at gradua,tion well up in my "1uts-¡hanks

t9, high,m3,r{s ll mathem, liics a+{ Elslisht¡ri r

A¡ì tnã.¿Iose of that iear (i. e., senior), my mother offeìed to'let'me'étudy in Germany aftgr Sraduatin,q- 3tu;"vüall,igrutefuuy and eagerlyaccepted. In the winfer:of 1867-8'r'had the'beneûtrof intimate associatiõn

øîniil. u"rir"; H¿äen the iell-known entomologist. He had jusii comè from r(oenigsburg accompanied by.

his wife to take r poritioo in the Museum, and Agassiz, kaowing of our plans to spend sollìe years in .Ç,er-many,

pe"*aaea *y.*oih"" to take them in for the-winter.-. They had the t¿-sk of win-terþ8 themselves in a new

ãountrv while I had more than plenty to le¿rn from a German Savant. Hagen and r soon had a linguø frønlcø

i" iïio Tî¿""täî;;;;;ã ;;;*;; -u"y or o"" evenings in high debaté upon an endless varietv of topics.

He was a soméùhat eccentiic but:highininded scholùr of enorûioús'Iêarning and the best standards;' .Dilet-

tr"tiuà and philistinism Ìvere to him anathema. His was just the companionship I needed and the opportunity

was not ,throwû away. , Though .he was no .bettgr- scholar than otìer of the men mentioned, abovq,¡ þe- hqd, a

c¿;t"; effect upon me than they did because gur inle¡qourqe ya!.so conq!1pt and u9,fPg*?Ii ._:$r !eb-t t9

É"nro is u nr"ui oou. But for hii instructions I shor¡ld have beòn itl preparid !o grasp the spirit'oT the German

;"täïira:'-nv-"*uo" éf nis coaching f fouqd myself at homb-in a very short time iir Germ3l acadeilic guc]es.

' i

, tná[.Becker was u d¡þgoi studgr! wlilô in Germq,ny is shqwn by the follo.þipg,trii*ittttionof acertifcatofromthgwe[-kgownchcmig!Bunseni ..j ,,,,, .],,:jr.,,,.,, ,.,.i .:¡¡ ¡1:¡ ,. : ;

:i.;

,,,, It gives mq,especipl pteaquqg to certify that Mq',Q,,{. Becker,,D:,.,P4.r from Americaþ9 !ø--t¡¡.na* inthe praãtical

"nemicat e*õ"cises in my laboratory with extraordinary zeal from Oc!. 18_08,to..Nov-. !8!9;.q1{ b",

not ãnly acquired a f.horough kngwledge of lqafVlicql.chemi-stty, bu!. afsg espæoaJ,g$U in the ex9rciées

3Ï ana-

lytic work.,fnársmuch as I touat' Mr. Becker âmong my most active and mosü giftsd.pupils¡ tr:cannot suppress the wish

that he may right soon ûnd a sphere of aótion,cor¡esponding to his wishes and to his rematkdble abiliJigs. ; -. . 1.'

, ' Pride i¡ his work and a determination to mastorits practical'details lod'Bockorto'under-take while in Germany the somewhat unusual task of a puddler io the loyal iron works. \[ith.whaùrsuccesshometisshownbythefollowing: 1 :'ri " r::r' ::; i:::

- 'i 1., . ,. .,' . ,l -_,___,.-,'--CERTI¡'ICAÎE åS PRACTICÀIJ PÚDDI'ER'

It is herewith certiûed, that G. F. Becker of Boston has been at work in these woits since Sept. 16 as puddler'

and during this time:has performéd the severe'laboúrs of Jhis branch of industiy'With éxtiaordinarf;industrY'

andmostpraiseworthyendurance' I ' : ' ' ': I:'''.'..:.' -- '.

The trial chargep, which Mr. Becker maile, .before leaving, without.assistancer gave:a,.mo€t ex-cellent result,

end; furnished tne pì-oot ol tìe practical thproughnesq as wel as of the intelligent grRsp, of the whOle n-uddligS,

Drocess on the part of the aforenamed gentleman.*""H.;;;;È";;;ili;;;hË;lf *itn ,""r and succéds in furnace ðonstructioú; as far às the customs

Ue." p"e."ot anything peculiar or unusual-put a helping hand in the building; reÞair ãod preservatioo of tbe'

furnaies; ¿nd made himself ecqueinted with tbe whole workiug of tbe sbop.

Konigshütte, Nov. 1' 1870. Tue Drnnc'on,(Signed) Brcurun'

, Oo"iog the ï'ranco-Prussian wa,r, Doctor Becker served as a co-ryefpol{e1t for the New

York Hera]Iá, being attached to the Crown Prince's stafi, but, says of hirnlelf th¿t he was'not'

;òd";;;;f;i.-*Ii"-;;ñ;;;t "i the battle of woerth'and thõ siege of strassburg' e:d wa,q

oncä captured by the Freãch and held prisoner for a few hours. Even a!,_thþ tiTe he forosaw

rþe cqming of rhe g"";;;ñin"wn liiiãiprti"g its daùe. He ryrote, ';I Uet e bo't!Þ of tbe

best chamlugîl" thut Germany wi]] b" at war with Eurorpe withi4 10 yea1s.]'

Retur-niñg to America, Dootot B¡9!er was emplòyed during 1172-7$ as a constiucüion

engineer by stãel works at ioliet,'[l. IVhilo here he invented,Ìut did not patent, an im^ploved

p"äatitrg f,"o"** which is stated to have been ù use both in Jôliet and Yolngstow"r Ofüql,lp-

i" *itnii în" U*t 6ys years (i. e., about 191s). Shoçily after this he wenú to California,, p?rtly'ii-r¡ -;l¿ åî-¿¿"""ttii" n"+itil, though it seems ptoíable that the fietil¡ee4etl Tost inviting;;;ili his frofesion. IIe¡e dqing Ïszs-regg h" was instructor in -ior3* and metallurgy

in .the Sta,te univeßity. Among his pupils was úhe now well-knõwn mìhing ongineer, Jghn

Ilays Hammond. Wiritu here he fell under the influence of Clarencg E-inS, who was then

engïged upon the survey of the fortieth parallel. In 1879, when King became director of the

"oã"äi¿utåd gaological snweys, Becker was umoog the first to receive appointment, and it is

here that his scieniific career as a physicist, and geologist may well be said to have begun.

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Page 7: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

4 GEORGE TEßDINAND BECKDR-MDRRILI., IMDMOIRSINÁTIONÁÛ

Soon after his appointmenü Dootor Becker made a reconnaissance of the San X'rancisco,

Utuh, bureka, rq"ouäi,-;"d Bodin, Calif., mining disüricts, with a view to taying out the work

rather than of comploiing the oxamination of any single district' Owing to- a chang" i" th-u

plans of the director, B"oi"" porsonally underboÉ tho-study of the mines of the region, tlouqh

;;îil;õ¡" (iãilj those of Eureka wore examined and roported upon by Mr. J' S' Curtis,

acting as his assistanü.-- -ñ";iti" 1g80 Becker was instructod by the directorgf jho surYey to tako, in ¿ddition to

his surve! duties, t¡. om"" of a special aguot of .the Tgnt\ Census (this withouü oxtra remu-

neration) and to u*rirt i" tn" cobpiiation oistatistics and tocb¡ical information as to the preoious

metal industries of tnu "o""t

y.' tU" district assigned included ldaho, UlahaArizona, ond the

country to the *ot ot-tnl*. "To S. tr'. Emmoot *-* assigned' the area of the Rocky Mountains'

This investigation extended throughout-t'he census year'

The results "f ;Ñ;;rl. werã published as väIume xrlr of the censup roports, enüitled

',statistics uo¿ î.eonootoäy of the Precious Metals," by Ge9'j' Becker and S' F' Emmons' Itcontained choptors;;il="'ä.;i"gj of tho western siates and rorritories, statistics of production,

ond a very large amount o"f infoîmation on most of the importanü features of hydraulic mining'

deep mining, qou"ø å-iili"g, "iã.,

øtn búef but adequatã discussions' This roport, so far as

statistics of produoti* *ä"oerned, is now out of däto, but the technical information for the

mosú parù rotains iüs value.Bocker hero took occasion to discuss tho four ore belts of tho Pacific slopes and thought to

show that each coinoides with a well-marked zono along which rolative upheaval has occurrod'

tnl, t*ity itsolf he thought demonstratod that a relatiãn existed botureon the groat movoments

which interest g.otogirirî"d the accumulation of ore deposit's whioh form the busis of üho

mining industrY.In March of 1gg0 Becker had been also instructed on the part--of the survey to Take.a'

reexaminatioo of tn"-Comstock lode. Messrs. F. von Richbfõn, Clarence King, an{'J' f:church had each writton reports opoo th" extraordinary deposit, lut many features

-of the

ocourrence *"r" ootinli"ructitity elucidated. Tho importance of tho occu*encs and the ûns

ãppo"t""ity for studi seomed to-justify a fresh and more elaborate investigation'-" -it; wä"t, whicú was carried oo ut the same timo with the census investigation' was com-

pleted in two y"uo, tn" t.po"t top1ng Monograph III (1382) of the sulvey series' Besides full

ã.rlriøo", oî tu" or" ¡odi.* and thelr o"oori.oä", it contained a discussion of the rooks, show-

ing that the tava p;;;tütq ;"pp.osed to be the chief rock of the districü, consistod in realitv of

ilo:tt."+oo*o uroptio^u" io a peculiar state of decomposition. This, at,t]re-tþe, \M9s a'n imporüant

potrographi" air.ooå"y, "aí ni1ti""1arþ so in viôw of the work of Zirksl on the rocks of the

fortieth parallol ,rr*ãy. Dxaminatioo of "oppo¡ed

propylites from all the other regions fi'om

ïrri"rrã.åràgists hal cållected thom in ths united staies ãho'rved that they were all of a charactor

similor to úhat of inã Comstock. Trachyte was shown to be absent, contrary to prwiously

expressod opinions. The hsat of the lodã was shown to be due to hot water, rising along tho

vein from groat deptþ u"Jãàti"i"g its.heat from a, sourco not less than 5 miles from the surface'

Tho complex ,,¿¡triuuted faults"är "stop faults" "{

th: locolity wero elucidated, and it was

shown oo *u"huoi"ul prinoiples how such were forrned. suggastions wero givon as to the most

probable position of undoüeoted ore bodiss'

While ma,ny "ith"ìá; puü forward in this ropgr.t have been úhe subjecü of conüroversy, it

-oy r"f"fy U"ã"n to mark ã nern era in geolo-gical investigatiory il A1g"igo' No previous

investigations, by;;;;"y, had been ooã"t¿uËun on so brõad a basis' No known and avail-

ablo means of inoariíguti*"*"r" left untouohed and untried. That Becker futty:-g:Y*P:pã-rf6f*f* of the op-po*unity "{gl. is shown by the solection of assistants, a'mong \trhom

wore the physicists, Carl Barus antl-Wjlliam Hallocli, and tþ !re1 yorlng and rising potrologist'

J. p. Iddings. Til"pù;;ce of this *ooogtupú placod Becker in the front rank a'mong

Ap erioan goological investigators.

Page 8: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

llc,{DF)My or¡ ScIDÀ*cEs lNo.2l BIOGRÀPITY

Doctor Becker's next ûeld of investigation comprised, undor tho administration'of J. IV.Powellrz a study of the quicksilver doposits of ths Pacitc coast. This proved a somervhat pro-longed investigation and for its satisfactory completion necessit¿ited a study of the doposits ofsimilar naturo in ltaly and Spain. Though under governmental authority, ho was obliged tocrùrry on öhis porúion of úhe work at his own expense. The results of these studies appeared in1888, as Monograph XIII of the survey series, under the caption of "'Geology of the QuicksilverDeposits of the Pacific Slope."

In this report iü was shorsn that all of the ores woro deposited in preexisting openings and notby substitution. TVhero these openings wero fissures the deposits were veins. Contrary to thegenerally received belief, veins of quicksilver ores, it was shownf a,ro very common and wersûlled from solutions, noü by sublimation, the material boing doposited as black amorphoussulphido and subsequentþ converted into cinnabar. fn connection with the deposits a nowclass of voins was proposed, called ttchambored veins." It was shown that not only cinnabarbut gold and the sulphides of iron, copper, and antimony and zinc dissolve in solutions ofsodium carbonate oharged with hydrogen sulphide, such as occur in great obundance as springwators in volcanic rogions. The report contained a digest of úho descrþtions of all the impor-tant or intoresting quicksilver ore doposits of tho world.

fn tho samo volums it was shown for the ûrst time úhat, ühe Chetaceous and. Tertiary forma-tions in this part of California, woro continuous in life ond sedimentation. .A.ttonüion wasalso called to a great and hitherto unnoticod upheaval in the Coast Ranges, at üho beginningof the Cbetaceous period. Becksr thought to show further thaú in somo caßes sorpentineresulted. from the action of mineralized solutions on sandstones.

,¿\t the close of the census investigation, Mr. J. S. Curtis, who had been one of Becker'sassistants in that inquirn joined tho survey and was directed by him úo study the Eurekamines. Mr. Curtis's volume, Silver Lead Deposits of Eureka, Novada, Monograph VlI, 1884,of the survey series, wos well received by those interested in mining.

The above completes the list of Doctor Becker's monographic studies, but by no me&nscloses or limits the period of his activity. In fact, they woro but, the beginning. While ûnish-ing tho writing and attending to the publioation of the report on quicksilver, he elaboratod oplan to be carriod out by his assistants, Messrs. H. W. Turner and W. Lindgren. It was in-tended that this invesúigation should cover the wesü slope of the Sierras for the entire lengthmarked by frequenú or important gold mines. The plan included four memoirs on the lithology,descriptive geology, mining geology, and systematio geology of the region. He proposod úhaúthe mapping and tho descriptive momoir should be done by assistants under his supervision,while his own attontion wa,s to be given to the investigation of the questions arising in tho work,such as the naturs and origin of the structure, the character and efiect of tho glaciation, thoorþin and history of the oro doposits, t'ho relation of the oruptive rocks to one anothor, andthe like.

This investigaüion was nover complotod as plnnned. About 7,600 square miles wore mappodand much preliminary work was accomplished in areas of which the topographio basis has beenonly lateþ completed.

Commenting upon this, Doctor Beckor wrote:It mighú 6eom moro expedient to have begun this work q'Íth the ore deposiùs, but a little consideration

shows úhat this would have involved loss of time and labour. ff one rvere to begin with the gold bearing gravels,questions which would arise immedÍately are: What is the source of the pebbles? What are the relation of thechannels to ono another and to the present drainage system? What is the age of the deposits? These ques-tions can be solved only by a study of the general geology of the country. ff one n'ero to begin with úho quartzveins more numerous problems of a similar character would compel a return to a prelirninary study of thegeologioal history of tho region.

Becker's personal studies of the gold belt led to seemingly dofinite solutions of a numberof questions. Some of his conclusions rrere as follows: There is strong ovidence of a-post-

' Kfng roslSnod ou Mâr. 11, 1881, a¡d Powstr was op¡nhtod to I¡19 posftloD thloe dâys lator. Doctor Becker's posltlon oD tho survoy doos uotSeorn to bôvo beon sûectod by tho cho¡gg,

Page 9: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

6 GEORGE I,ERDrN.A.ND BECKER-MERRTLL tt'*o""r.,lio*.19Ër1 .

Triassrc upheavel in the Sierra probably identical with a distur-bance which has been recognized

io-g;ili*n'Columlia.- T\ro sets of earlier Cretaceous beds (divisions of the Shasta group) -are

contemporaneous oï continuous. Autheptic information not previouslY nublished shows that

CuHoáu was inhabited by men in the Neolithic stage of development, beforo tho main glacia-

tion of the Sierra. The gúcial period of the Sierra probably b-egan and eqdgd much later than

that of northeaster-n ¿mãrica. ^îhe

deep canyons of the m-odern rivers oi the Sierra were duo

to the protecting action of tho glaciers on the higher part gf_the range. __

Àiu"gu po"äon of the Sieria, ho thought, w3,q aff_ecte{by systerna-tigull{ clisposed fissures

o" joints. " A,'study of their peculiarities showedto-hjm that this network of divisions was produc_ed

ùy"u p"u."*u ueiiog on tLe ranqo downward from the soutLr-southwest., This pressure, he

túo"gÀt, could be aãcounted for ly !n9 ygisþt oi tho sediments in the great valley of Cali-

i*"ii, i"""ided that, the oarth is a solid, hgÌrty viscous,mass, but not, if tho interior is fluid.

The fissure systems, he argued, coniroled to a largo extent the emission of eruptive tg+'They affected thä moaef"g of"tho'c_orrntry an$ also indi:ectly explained the formation of the

"u"ío*, among them the Íosemite ValLey and the great domes of thai reei91

:---"D,rriog thãwinter of l-g92 Doctor Becker mado his first systematic studies 9f _t'he

deform.

ing effects ãf great, pressures. This he regarded as essenfial to a comprehension of the structure

6ioooo".¿ Ëter) änd showing that relative elevation must, attend the formation of slat'e.

òn" tn"oty, to him, accoulted"ior tho distribution and- spacing of fssures or cracks when the

action i, "Ío*. In the sa,me connection he accounted for tho columnar structure of.many

tuou. uo¿ gave a simple proof of the fact that, the pebbles in auriferous river channels and other

watercourses " sbingle uPstream."- À reconr.'aissai"" of the gold. fields of southorn Alaska by Becker in 1895 afrorded inciden-

tatly materiat fo¡ uo iot."".tîg theoretical discussion of vulcanism and the shape of volcanic

ãoJ"r, ir" *nich it was shown"that such tend to approach definite geometrical form almost

ã*u"dy coinciding *itn tnut of Fujisan, Japan, but tñat steeper shapes will not form on a large

scale by ejection from a central vent'fn rg"96, u:rder tho auspices of an Erytisþ company, Do^ctor Becker visited tht Wittwater-

stranãof Soítn Africa for tle pul.pose of studyine the gold fields. Aside from what'ever repori

lu ãuy nu"e made to in" "o-pärry,

r'i* observations found their way irrlo P"qt F t-he Eightelnth-Ao,,oå

R;porr of the United StJtes $eologicat Qurley_!ts-96-97) and the Zeitschrift für Geo-

i"gi" Þ""ttìque, besides less tecb-nical accoî:rts in the National Goographic Magazino and the

l8oaoo E"oooori*t. In a]] these publicati-o-ns .Qoctgr. Becker held the q9"od of the marine

""iä"- "rliái"r¿-¡"uÃg s"*._h g,nd tn9 alluwial origin of ,the

gold itself, in opposition to De

mîr"y uod õtn*"s, wnftio"gnt it p¡ecipitated froq a saturated solution of gold and pyrite

in sea water. ffu "oiu¿

that ãin thdpre-^Tertiary rocks only those grlveis rem¿in which wero

p""t*t"J Uf superþcont beds and a,fãwed to indurate. Riler-gravsls, T 1uc\ cgut{ escape

í¡p¿*i"" åoty'*n"o during subsidence they well immsfll¿fsly covered by f^resh *p9:itu'*idnoot undurgoiog any qoiable wave action." _Ilenge

the extreme rarity of pre-Tertiary

ä;"g"r""1u.--s""Ë anïrigin-,i.-".i # marino, rather than as river gravels-he felt furnished

a stroäg reason for the belief oi their prolonged productiveness. . .

It was whil" "-pioyÀã

;r this work thaã Doctor Becker beca,mo conversant in soqe detail

with matters ""tutiof

tó tne Ja,meson raid and the Boer war an{ le{ lo the plqparg'tion of an

;rdd;;;iTu" ,uoòtt of the Uitlanders," published in the National $eographi.3, Magazrlg oJ

;#;; I";ht he set forth in u, dispussiooate a,nd impartial way tb9 pr1vail3s conditions

;-thät;ppeared to an outsider, and dhrough his_ personal influence with President Krueger

he is said to have been instrun"ítul io brinfrng abôut an smicable settlement of certain diffi-

cultios that threatened to lead to international complications.

The most original, outstanding, and valuable ðf Doctor Becker'g work was not, howover'

dong tn" Hnes of äes"íiptiou geology, _ Ilis interests lay large-Ir in the more abstruso chemico-

pnyu-i"rr problems ullãã""""ñ,rq iiú"n he had almostlrom the start taken advanced grounds,

ããí -o"iy in relatión to the proîlems to be solved, but,.as well, to the methods of their solu-

îiã". ¿.iå"g these lines he wä" a pioneer, and it was not too much to claim that the present

Page 10: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

Geophysical Laboratory is the outgrowth of his work more than that of any one man'3 T{is

pubiisËed shorter prp"i* showed ai _ever-inc"easing tendgngy to delve into physical and chem-

iJ;;"bñ uodtt"o"ieq 4ad to devise methods lor -their solut':".- Ti: is 9yr{ent F-h.t

x.inite llomogeneous strain, tr'low, and Rup-ture of Rocks (1893), Rock-lìifferenti-ation (1896-

9Z), Experiments on Schistásity and Slaty Cleavage (1904), Torsional Theory of Joints (1913)'

and numerous other Papers.-- ¡;;;;"ti"g the paper of 1893 Day remarks:

In this we recognize a splendid attempt to de.ûng and formulate in precise tetms, some of-the relations in

the science of rock mechanics. This was a magnificent task of pioneer quality and of extraordinary difficultyt

¡"i ïr.-""t immediately fruitful because clothed in somewhat abstruse form'

In his discussion of rock difierentiation ân attempt was made for the first time in America

t" "pprv

physio"h"^i"ul lu** along the experimenta url"s, of van't Hofi and others' The

ãã"-ir,i"í;* reached can be made clear by quoting his own abstract.a

AII known processes by which the segregation or difierentiation of a fluid magma could take place involve

.molecular flow. This is demonstrably an excessiveþ slow.process excepting for dist¿nces not exceeding a few

I"*r-ålã." Soret,s -.tnoã of segre"gation, even if it were not too slow, seems inapplicable because it involves

ã-L*p"trt"r" oou."ouo'tuity;.;;;;i;g wiin aeptu. t!9 norm;1t v,ariation of temperature, an inòrease with

distance from the surface, wäuld be fatl to sucti segregation. The l3,st objectionable met'hod of segregation

ää;"ã;ú;;;io" áf u *rg*, into immiscible fractions; but this seems to involve a superheated, verv

fl;id;;gr, *hit" th" law of fuiion and the distributiqn of phenocrysts in rocks indicate that magmas prior

to eruption are not superheated to. any conside:able extent and ale vely viscous'

The homogeneity of vast subterranean,mâsses called for by the hypothesis_of difierentiation is unproved

ana lmpronanrã. The differences between well:deflned ¡ock types are rirore probably due to original and per-

sistent heterogeneity i" ih;;*;"sition of the globe: Hypogeal fusion and eruption tend rather to mingling

than to segregation, and transitiãnal rock varietLs ,"u ooi improbably mere fortuitous mixtures of the diverse

primitive relatively small masses of whiah the lithoid shell of ihe earth was built up'

This paper.was subjected to a critical reYie\M, with only partial agreement by c' x" Tolman,

in the Journïl of Geology for MayJune, 1897' :

:-.-î;h";upo o¡'*"Ëistosity uld rluty cleava,ge published in 1896 and already referued to,

Becker took issue øtn tn" g"näral idea tä the'efiãctth11 a_secondary cleavago ma.y be induced

;J";^Ñ.*;ïot aigueatYthat,'"deformation of a Èolid, homogeneous, viscous, isotropic, not

ionoitJfy n"ittÍe, mass foll develop structure in it on not less than one surface nor on more:than

ioo" ro"îo""s simultàneously." ôbi* h" tholsbt to show both mathomaticaþ and by experi-

meot. In summing op bis results he statedi "In view of the evidence merely outlined above, it Pppelry to me utterly impossible to de¡y that solid flòw

do"rã** * -utt"" ãr fact induce a true cleavage whicl is-parailel to the lines of relative tangbntial motion or glid-

ing, this cleavage not necessarily being accompanied by any actual ruptures however microscopic'

Again in his paper on Current, Theories of Staty C]".1v?g" (1907), which-was largeþ contro-

versiaf Becku" ""f"i"eà to the prevalent, ideas as found in the literature, and then he stated his

o*o oí"*" as follows:

Like Tyndall and Daubrée, I consider a parallel arrangement of flattened grains unessential to cleavage'

Rupture takes place oo plurr"u óf maximum ,]id" o" maximum tangential strain' Rupture is a gradual procesË

and cohesion is impaired through flow before it is destroyed. Impaired cohesioii in my theory is cleavage'

Cleavage develops most perfecfly when the stress tending io produce it is persistent in direct'ion, because viscous

resistance is then small. In a rotational strain there a¡1 twì sets of mathematical planes on which maximum

slide takes place and both sets are parallel to the axis of rotation.. They make with the greatest axis of the strain

ettipsoia angles given bY

tu":6sfi_¡¡s_

á being the greatest axis, B ttre least and C the axis of roiation, The planes of maximum slide contain the cir'

cular eections of the ellipsoid only in a limiting case. During the progress of strain these mattrematical planes

Á*àup tn"oosh wedges oi tn" ,iru*, but the two sets of planes sweep at different rates, one set having a relative

angularvelocityfrom,say,20toaninûnitenumberoftir"esasgreatastheother.ontheplaneswhichsweep

AC.aDEMY oF ScrENcEs¡No,2l BIOGRAPIIY

;r-piä'üj],f,ltty t"i"ã""ãr "ieidity,

there is no time for considerable flow to take place, and unless actual rupture

T:il

ilit

'II1t

it

]i'lt':rìl

ì,iii,iii

l¡.],

,lt. l'

'I.l:.$i'ii

¡li¡i.

il

l

i.1

, s"" ni, p"o¡aat ror a Geophysical Labotatoty aúal cotrstruction of a geophysicsl laborato¡y, Year Book, ca¡neglè Institution, 1902 ancl 1904;

,läer. ¡üräðäi^vä. urlli¡s7, p. a0'

Page 11: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER-MERRILI-,, IMEMOIBSIN¿.TIONå'ÍJ

oocurs, so that joints form, the effect will be small. On the other set of planes viscosity is small, thê mass hastime to yield by'flow, cohesion is weakened and cleavage results. fn a word, the theory is that slaty cleavageis due to splid flow attendant upon rotational strains. So much of the energy of the system as is not potei.tialized is dissipated on the plane of maximum slide, and this may or may not lead to the alteration of mineralconstituentS, e. g:, the transformation of feldspar into biotite.

fn his paper on the Age of the Earth (1910), Becker pointed out the probabló errors in tho. methods previously employed, with particular reference to the works of Kelvin, Darwin, Joly,

a,nd X'. TM. Clarke. He thought also to show that "radioactive minerals cannot have the greata,ge attributed to them. Onl¡r something like a tenth of the heat emitted by the earth can beascribed to radioactivity plus all oiher exothermic cbemical transformations, tho remainingnine-tenths of the beat being due to compression." BarreII, in a more recent paper (1917),subjected this conclusion to severe criticism, but as to which of the two credit is to be given fornearest approach to actual facts it is as yet impossible to say. Attbough not so shown in biscorrespondence, Doctor Becker was greatly interested in Chamborlin's planetessimal hypothesib¡tbough by no mea,ns in agreement therewith

fn accordance with an arrangement made with the War Department, Doctor Becker, underorders of July 8, 1898, visited the Philippines for the purpose oi investigating and reporting onthe mineral resources of these islands. He sailed from San tr'rancisco on tho transport PuebloJuly 15, under General Otis. After reaching Manila, he devoted some time to the ireparationof a brief paper entitled " Memorandum on the ,Mineral Resources of the Philippine Islands,r'osmpiled fiom various unpublished records and pubtished memoirs available ü Maoila, andfrom verbal infsru¿tiea furnished by mining men, capitalists, dnd others. This memorandumwas published in Fart VI of the Nineteenth A¡nual Report of the United States GeologicalSurvey.

In September of that year, Doctor Becker spent, some days in fieþ work on the island ofCorregidor and about Mariveles. On his return to Manila he prepared, at General Otis's request,a memorandum on the agricultural resources of the archipelago. Shortly aftejrwar,ls, findingit impracticable on account of the native rebellion to pursue further his geologic investigations,hs attached himself to the Bureau of Military Information, Eightb Army Corps, under MajorBell. In this position he rendered valuable service, translating from the Manila nerrspa,persarbicles of importance or interest to the Government and the military authorities, and endeavor-ing to s¡ligþten public opinion in lhe islands by published articles correcting Spanish misrep¡resentations and setting forth the real conditions in the United States so far as those condiúionqwere likely to become of imþortance to the Philippines.

Doctor Becker's owî. a.ccount of his services, as given in a report to Major BeIl, are worthyof reproduction in full.

MeNrle, p.1., March 1, IBgg.Srn: Pursuant to your verbal request, I submit the following ,report of work done by me in connection

with the Information Bureau of the 8th Army Corps, during the three months just passed, viz: December,January and February.

I made voluntai¡r tender of my services to you at the beginning of December, because the military situationmade geological field work impracticable and I was unwilling to occupy the position of United States Geologist,in Charge, without renderinþ any services to the Government,

The first duties assigned me in the Bureau under your direction were to keep watch on the Philippinene\rspaper, " La fndependencia, " controlled by Mr. Antinio Luna, and to make translation of articles whichseemed of importance.or interest to the Military Governor. Another similar newspaper, the "RepublicaFilipina, " controlled by Mr. Paterno, was afterwards included in this commipsion, and a variety of w¡itten andprinted documents were submitted to me for translation. Your ûles contain copies of these translations. Thefollowing is a list of the more important of them. "Amèrica and Ourselves" a leader in the Independencia ofDec.2, 1898, "Let us Wait" a leader in the fndependencia of Dec. 3rd. ('Philippino Yearnings for Spain"being extracts from the fndependencia of Dec. 10th, tbreatening extracts from the Independencia of Dec. 19th.Passages from Republica Filipina of Dec. 25th comFlainiig of the delay by the United States in announcingits policy. "Let there be Conûdence" a conciliatory leader in the Independencia of Dec. 26th. Interviewwit[ Malolos Cabinet, Buencamino spokesman (a letier to Mr. Rickards, dated December 27th).

Primo de Rivera on the Paterno negotiation, (extracts from a memorial of the ex-captain General to theSpanish Senate in August last with some explanations and comments. I[anded in December 31.) Primo deRivera on ecclesiastical reform. (This from the same memorial as the last. Comments were addecl. Handed

Page 12: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

-r-

i

BIOGRAPHY IÁC,IDE¡TY OT SCIENCES]No.2l

in Jan. 1, 1ggg.) Leüter of Buencamino to Republica Filipina, January 1, being a, reply to a letter of mine'

Manifesto by AguinaldolJr";";ttih. Seooo¿--tvlaoiie.to '¡y

Àuginaldã January õth' "Aguinaldo pleading

with his brother Philippinos," a rare pampblet rv ñ"tirìo a1sin"1qo' issued in December 1898 and immediately

withdrawn. Tire transletiã'o i, r..o-putri"a ¡v an analysis-. After January 4th, the Philippino newspapers

removed from Manila and became openly hostile io the Únifud States' It ihen cea¡ed to be a matter of im-

po*uo." to keep track of their sentiments or expressions'

rn December lso8 ;i ;ñ*;J i" u" ¿.rirull" to ì.y influencing -public opinion a,mong the Natives bv

published statements .";;ti"c Spanish *i.""prfuotuiioni and settint forth soberly the real conditions in the

United States so far as they are likely to rt.o^" i-fãrtantto the-Philippinos' In orde¡ to give such explana-

tions more weight, it was expedient tha-ü ttrey suouta be signed by a responsible person, and, if possible, by

someone not in the milit¿ry service. As r furûllelih;e conditions, ih" t""k *"u assigned to me and severa'l erti-

cles rvere written. ¿u ot"trrem were carefully t;";ii;;tby the'Chief of the Bureau of Informotion' and by

him submitted to higher authority, but I alone asuumed "õsponsibility

for them to the public, in order that

the Nlilitary Goveromeit *ielti "åi

be committed i; ;y *uy Uy these-utterances' Nothing was added bv my

superiors to these es'a,ys, buãsome sentenceg *átttttuåt oüt as impolitic' The articles were translated into

intelligible Spanish ,rn¿J" -y *p"ruiri91, u,o-¿ *.te poutiuu"a both il tbat language in the Pbiþpino papers

and in English in the Manita Time¡. tne tollo;nã il;;;pp;"d: "The Future of the Philippines" printed

in Independen.iu, pu.u-ü". io, to¿ repliett to l-"-trt" uuåä ituuu' This appeared in the Manila Times on

December ?th. ,,T.r"atnuoi of Ñorüh ¡mericaalnãians,'; Repubti." "19

Timìs Dec' 17' "Tenitorial Govern'

ment in the United States," Republica a"¿ rire¡î--õutt-i"" 23' ¡'Free Ðducation in the United States"'

rndependencia of Dec. öi;'rrd-ôil. ãl b:.. zzli-. - ni¡tø, to the Republica on the delav bv the united states

in announcing its policy, . Dec. 28. A further paf,ut * ;; n"ugious A;erican and the Catholic " was prepared'

and the Republica pro-i."ãio ptint it, but- failä to do so. At the suggestion of a Genersl Officer and ¡vith

vour consent, I aleo wrote an ùnsigned e¿itor¡aifor the M¿nila Timõ-eoùitled "An Imporùant Step"' Itäppeared on TuesdaY, Feb. 21.

During tbe month oïiuoourv, at your instance, I took ¡p the motter of the reestablishment of the Cedula

personal, gathering nre,r;u"t;-iði anå against its reestablisiment on any basis and opinions concerning the

most, expedient fees to"'r*U u persooat cãrtilcate. It was fouud that thã inhabitauts of Manila wished for a

Cedula and (although ih;;;; ;;-e opposition-on this point) tbet it would be best to make only one class'

putting the fee very tow. -ïw"ote

an argum"ot oo ihu geoeral question and directed especially to the desirability

of making the Çedu1a compulsory on all men, io-lr""irã, "*""piing

U'.S' soldiers, between the ages of 18 and 60'

leaving it optional to" ,"oåen. ôener¿l Otis w¿s at ûrst disinclined to the compulsory feature but yielded to

my representations. r bave ilre satisfaction oi Èelieving that the.compulsory cedulo will be an imporùant

uiå i" înu proervation of order under Americon control in this Archipeligo.

I also undertook an examination of the maitãr of licenses which, horv=everr lt¿s interrupted by the outbreak

of the Ingurrection.In addition to the m¿tters detailed above, many others have fallen to my share which aro not important

enoughforspecial*uoti*,"u.uaadecipheringtelegramsrprocuringsecretagents'exominingintorumourstcollecting information, .ããiís t" the printing r"ä portïg oí tuu ivrilito.y Governor's proclamation and making

uyself generally useful it th"e Bureaú .o tu"* -f iu.tir -uit"y eduãation permitted' You h¿vo also done

me the honor to consullme on most of the matteis in \ilhich you have been engaged'.when the rnsurrection broke out it ¡eca-e iÀpossibleior me. to sever my connection with the Bureau

without lose of self respect. rnclination drew me in ibe same directiou as loyalty and I have aocompanied you

on most of your stricUy military duties as *uU * upã" quests for information' Without speciñc instructions

r have understooa trraf io tiãiäJ* io ttru omcã t *ar to uu constantly on hand, in ¡eadiness to underüake any

message or commisgion you might see ûtto -entiuJ lo -", and to render without orders any servico within my

capacities which oircumit*.urä""¡y called ror, ü onrv uy e1a,nglo' It ha¡ not always been easy to draw the

line between officiousness and negligence, but yóu Uavð ¡een kind enoug¡ to give me leason to believe that Ihave not erred grossly io .iifr". ¿îre-ctioo. You" o*o ofrcial reports more than sufficiently cover such services

as I have found an opportunity of performing at the front'r cannot cro.e trril-iupãrí*itrtout ,"r"rriig t" itt"ìr.*tre it has afiorded me to assist' io a variety of

extremely interesting matters and in some thrilling situatiory, u1 ofrcer so ingenuously snd intelligently devoted

to his duty, who is as intent on correcting abuses-and.ameliorating the lot ofthe wretched as he is strenuous in

the quest -får

military infotmation and feãrtessþ aggressive on the ûeld of bettle'

How woll his services woro a,ppreciated is shown by tho foilowing o-x,trect, ro GeorgeJ'

Becker, from officiJi;õ*ü åi nn"i.'¡. ¡ njr, - "lt*gi9f the offce of Militarv Information

of rhe Deportmeniãili" p.cifc, îo M{. G;. ArthulSacArthu, commanding Second Divi-

sion, Dighth Ârmy ð;"* .,oúáu¡" of liebruary 11, 1899, on the fight at Caloocan of Fobruary

10:

I have reserved for the end of this letter, mention of the exceedingly galla-1t_ and corrrageous conduct of

professor George F. Becker, U. S, Geologist, because in accordance with his idea of his duty he insieted on &ccom-

panying me into this ûght and remained *tth ;h;-ó""tp;uy, much of the time mounted, throughout tho entire

Page 13: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

10 GEORGE F'ERDINAND BECKER_MERRII.,L [MEMOIRSI'I'{.TIONAI'

engagement, Ile r,vas as cool and collected as if he were pursuing geological investigations in his study, encour:aged the merr behind whom he was standing and renderêd other valuable services which required him to pass

mounted immediately in rear of the entire line. I am sorry.that, not being a soldier, he cannot receive thereward which hís courage and gallantry has entitled him to.

The vierv he took of his duty referred to above, arose from the fact that for sometime before this war he

volunteered to assist me in the Information Bureau and the instincts of a courageous gentleman have prevented

his abandonment of his self imposed task'of following me wherevêr I go now that the expected war with thefnsurgents has come about and sometimes òalls me, in the line of my duty, into dangerous situatidns.

fn justice to him however I should add that long prior to any certainty of hostilities he made me promise

that if hostilities did occur I would permit him to a,coompany me wherever my duty called me. He has &ccom;panied me, pursuant to hió own desire, on êvery reconnaissance I have made and frequèntly against my iudg-ment as to what was best for him.

Very respectfully, Sgd. J. F. Bnr,r,,Major of Engi,neers,

A-fter the outbreak of hostilities, upon invitation of General McArthur, to whoso stafrMajor BeIl was transferred, Doctor Becker accompanied the latter to the front and pa,rticipaledin ä m¡mber of military reconnaissances and engagements, rendering seryics that lias been

favorably reported to the War Department.In May he made a joutney to the island of Negros and endeavored to e¡-a,mlne the deposits

of tertiary lignite there, but the hostility of the natives prevented extended investigations, -

\Mhile hãre he met with an adventure which gave him reputa,tion quite unsought and alonglines little expected.

'It, seemed that he wished to exa,mine a, coa,I deposit near San Carlos, and

for safety's sako wa,s given an escort of a-'noncommissioned offiJer a,ntl 16.men: Notwith-standing this they were,attacked by a considerable body'of natiyes. The rest of tho story istold in ã clipping from the newspapdr tr'reedom of September 29 of that, year:

.. The.men saw tåree lines of skirmishers surrounding the.plantatiqn. Gunslvere grabbed, orders.given, andthey were soon out and ready to meet the enemy; uow here is where the t'Old Professor'l as the boys called.him

[Becker] shone. Emerging from the owner's house in his shirt sleeves, with a little popgun' a 32-caliber revolve¡which he had borrowed from one of the boys, he took his position as commander on the right, acoompaaied byfour comrades.

There was a hot fight for a time. Finaìly the rebels closed in on the right. The ûve men protecting thatposition awaited the charge calmly. When the insurrectos were within about 10 yards a vol],ey rang out,. ¡ndiour blacks dropped,' But one kept coming, and straight for the professor, Up went his little popgun andnever & tremor in his arm. He fired and missed. The black was now almost upon him' Again he ûred andthis time he caught his man in the right arm shattering it, and causing him to drop the murderous looking bolo.A volley rang out and the black dropped at the professor's feet. ,When it was all over 12 dead ipsurrectos werecounted.

,'Well it's the first time I ever fired a pistol at a human being, boys, but I had to do it, and I did it.t' õ

fncidental to this it should be stated that Doctor Becker was twice "cited" for braveryin the field during his stay in the islands.

On December 26, LgO2, President Roosevelt called upon the N¿tional.A.cademy of Sciences

for a report on tho desirability of instituting scipntific explorations of tho Philippino fshndsand on ihe scope to such an undertaking, expressing his hope that such a plan might be adopted

'.:by Congress."

A ãommittee of the academy, consisting of Messrs. G. X'. Becker, W. G: Brewer, C. IlartMerriam, X'. W. Putnam, and R. S. TVoodward, representing I[arvard, Yale, Columbia, theDepartment of Agriculture, and the Geological Survey, wa,s appointed on January 14 following.Beõker was elected secretary and under conditions usually prevailing may be assumed to havedone his full share of the work.

The comrnittee was unanimous in the opinion that scientific explorations of tho Philippineswere most desira-ble, both for the good of scieneo and for the benefit of the inhabitants of theislands, and so reported on X'ebruary 7, 1903. ,:

On March 9 following, tho President constituted a board of scientifc surveys of the islands,consisting of Mr. C. D. Walcott, chairman, and Messrs. F. V. Coville, Barton Evermann,

¿ ..À day or two sinco a hau tipsy soltlier c¿llsd ou Bell to speâk ôbout tho reconnaissa¡cs at Ctaudatupe of Febn¡å¡y 20, and 'to shake the hand

of a brave ma,n.' Then ho acldetl, 'Say, Maior, who was that old man lDocto¡ Beckerl elong.with you?' a,nal whon ho hatl ho¿rd' romarkoal 'W:elIbo was a crackeriac.k, too.' "

Page 14: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

ÀcÂDE,\rY oF ScIDNcDslNo.2l BIOGRAPI{Y

of national lifo.Very respectfully, your obedient serv&nt, (Signed) Gponop F. Bocrnn

Nov. 15, 1912.

Dnln D¡nw¡ has informed me of your illness, bad news which at once recalled the

details of many pleasant hours I owo to you. .Illness and suffering sometimes makl a body lonely; and that is ryhy I write to say how much I rvish I

could cheer you now ar you chee.ed me when l.lay ill aü McKinney Hughes house. You have a hosü of willing

friends who iropo aU gooá things for you and know that you have deserved them. May our rvishes be efficaciotts.

pray do oãt dr.ã- of ans-werini this greeting or of asking any ono to do so. I sympathize too keenly vithLady Darwin and your children to burden them with needless letters'

11

W. H. Holmes, C. II. Merria,m, Gifiord Pinchot, a,nd O. H. Tittmann, selected fiomthe Govern-

ment burea,us to consider the cost and other features of the plan proposed by the National

Á"uau*y. Thb board mado a report in harmony with úheplan of the a.cademy. It estimated

in" totui expenso for the ûrst of tLe 10 yeå,ß (including an item of $250,000 for the purchas-e of

three small vessels) at $261,950. It also submitted the draft of a bilt to provide for these

survoys a,nd memoranda as to their adminisürative conduct.

ño" ".*o* whioh it is not necessa,ry here to discuss, even were thoy known; these recom-

menda,tions wero nevor ca,rried out.Doctor Beckor was also e membor of ths committee of the r\ational Aoadomy of Sciences

uppÃl"a i" 1915 by Presidonü Wilson to consider and report upon tho possibilityof controlling

thå slides in tho panama Canal, which then threatened sôriously to interfere with its usefulness,

but was unable on account of ill heatth to visit the canol and parlicipate in its doliberations.

ij. Uuá, however, been ovor tho ground in 1913 in company with Geologist D. F. MacDonald,

and. renderod important servico in ths preparotion of th9 final report. _With all hisìlose attontion to details in matters of science, Doctor Becker was by no ms&¡s

oblivious to the duties of citizenship. This appoars in his correspondence _relative to the

fitiiippio*, alroody roforred. to, and. in numsrous ietüers I find in his files. \{hile not, obtrusive

in hiå manáer, it would seem tùat he was by no means diffident. Convinced of the soundness

of his own opínion or views on any subject, he did not hesitote üo make them known wherever

he felt they noight be useful. Thô foilowing leúters are of interest and self-oxplanatory:

Mr Do¿n Bpcrpn¡ r rhank you ror your kind lefter or rhe 21sr r"lîoî"rîiltl-;i'''fiil,:-''*t"iti"1*.Roosevelü's hard task would be easy if uú

^"o would give him tho ¡vise ¡nd reason¿ble consider¿tion which

you express in this sPeech." ,4-; for myself, I can only ühank you for what you Bay. Nothing can bring rne back to where I stood last

June. But f must "ñght my course" being chained to tho stake'Yours faithfully' (Signed) JosN H¡x,

Mlncs 4' 190õ.

Dp¡n Mn. pnne¡oo¡¡¡: I do not feel ablo to allon¡ this day to go by without expressing my congratulations

on your past administration and cordi¿l good wishes for that which begins to-day. fou _h_a1e justiûed the

pr"ãi.tioo, rvhich were made by some of your friends, i¡cluding myself, at the time of Mr. McKinley's death,

ind have earned the confidence which the nation has lately expressed in you.

May naturo continuo to smile upon you and may the country continue to sustain you in raising ùhe süandard

Most cordially Yours,

Doctor Or¡s Svrrs.Do¡n Docron Su¡æs:

(Signed) G. F. BPcrnn.

So. Loo, Julg 16,1916.

I have read your Greek iÞ B K address with pleasure ond I think it oughü to oo

good.There is an argument for public spirit on the part of university men rvhich I havo never heard emphasized.

perhaps you mighfüke to use-it in somo futuro ¿ãdress. University eduoation is to a large extent gratuitous;

for thã undergraduates at Harvard or the Johns Hopkins do not pay fees covering more than a fraction of tbe

expenses of thãr education. Men who seek or use their university training solely for their personal service are

alåsbkers. Only by public servico can eduoated men repa,y the debt they incur ancl thus ful6ll the designs of

tbe founders.Cordially yours, (Signed) GnonsP F. BPcrPn.

Page 15: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

12 GEORGE X'ERDINAND BECKER-MERRILT, [MEMorBs NalroN.4.¡,lvoL xxl.

A striking featuro of Doctor Becker's career was his versatiJìty, which he seems ever to havecr.rltivated, rather than held in check. An interesting illustration of this is afiorded in a paper(lecture) prepared by hirrr in 1904, entitled: "How small an Army we need.', The purpõrt oftìe paper can not here be further elucidated than to state that a copy of the same being sentBrig' Gen r' tr" Be'' then at

"*'1,-ï:*"rîïll'åîïïJ"-""ï::::i:t;i:J::;",1î'"-""'': Orr,rcp oF TEE Cotuuewoawr,

Fort Leauenworth, Kønsøs, Sept. 17,1904.Dr. Gnonap F. Bocrnn,

Washington, D. C.Mí open Docron: I have received the article entitled: "How small an Army we need," which you have

kindly sent me for criticism. I not only have no criticism to make, but am astonished that a man who has neverbeen a professional soldier could have written so soundly on the subjecü you have seleòted. I have submittedthis article to. many of my assistants on duty with this college, and it meets with the hearty concurrence of ,¿ll ofthem. \Me find the matter of .which it treats so clearly and cogently set forth that we would be greatly gratifledto see iú. published i¡r some form or periodical where it could reach the masses of. our non-professional fellowcitizens. You have not even made any technical error in the statements of fact or deductiois. W'e only hopethat there is a respectàble percentage of our fellow countrymen who may be able to see this matter in the samelight that you do..

Iloping you may continue your studies and efforts on behalf of the country in this line, believe me,Truly and sincerely yours,

Commanilant.

It is difr.cutt to write of the pulely personal side of Doctor Becker, since few of those whorrere associa,ted with him and knew him át aII intimately are now living. That he was of morothan ordinary affectionate nature both as boy and man is evident from his corespondence;this is particularly conspicuous in his letters to his:mother. X'ew but his most intimate friendscou-ld see in fhis sssïnilgly ulemotional man, absorbed in problems of science, one whose dailyIeùters to wife and mother were concluded in language of the tenderest, endearment.'t¡I

owe himla debt," writes his one time assistant, H. W. Turner, "for his rigid requirementsof exact notes on all geological matters . In camp we found Dr. Becker always a goodsport, and an interesting companion."

"In thought and manneir" writer Doctor Duy, " Dr. Becker was a truepioneer, absolutelyfearless, impatient of limif¿¿ions, quick to get, at the heart of the problem, direct and vigorousip its prosecution, and witb an untiring spirit even under tho strain of protracted illness whichclouded the closing years of his life." And again, "Like most pioneer thi-nkers, Dr. Beckerwas by necessity the master of several flelds of scienti-fi.c research. IIe possessed an excellentworking lnowledge of math,ematics, physics, chemistry, and geology, and used all these withthe greatest freedom and efrectiveness throughout all his work. TVith the possible exceptionof Gilbert, there is no man of his time in the \f¿shington geological work whd possessed. greaterversatility in discussion or such breadth of view." Ald still,again, in a personal note to thepresent writer he says: "I cherish Dr. Becker's memory as that of one of the finest men, oneof the soundest scientists, and one of the best friends f ever lrnew."

Highly commendatory is the following extract from a letter written by General Bell toMrs. Bocker-tho mother-r¡¡der date of tr'ebruary 2l,I90l:

Your son and I were strongly drawn towa¡d each other, because we lived here together al, a time of greatdistress, and we found our ideas accorded respecting the propriety and impropriety of matters in general. 'We

easily became indignant at abuses committed by Americans and worked hard together for the c¡edit of ourland and nation. His strong conviction and determination was a support to me in many câses of doubt anduncertainty. Ifis companionship on the battle-field was inspiring. Bravery is expected in a soldier. He getsno credit from having it, but great disiredit if he has it not, but bravery is not expected fiom those whose bus-iness is other than fighting. They have nothing to gain and all to lose from being killed; whereas a soldiermay gain undying.fame by losing his life on the field of battle. Therefore, when a man takes his life in hisown hands, as yoúr son did, inspired solely by an iúterest in his nation, and the manly instinct antagonistic tocowardice, he is desBrving of credit indeed. No bond of affection is so strong as that which is created by thesharing of mutual dangers. I think our satisfaction might have been more complete had we had'your strongintelléct and sympathy to aid us at a'time when much hardship and suf"ering was visible on every side.

Page 16: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

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BIOGRAPHY t3

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Ac.åDDùrY oF SCIENCESINo.2l

The most prominent characteristic of Doctor Becker, as viewed by the writer, was his

persistent, "gg"e*.ioe

ãiuto¿" toward geophysical prollems;1d the estabtish'ment of a labora-

ffiio" theäperimental work essential tã tËeir solution. Thrs w¿s t'he one dominant feature

of his career uod oo" *ùch was ultimately crowned with success by the establishment of the

ô**d; Càopnyri"ut iîboratory. That he was thorougbly in earnest in this is shown-if

further evidence is needed-in bis last will and testament, by which his entire residual ostate

;, i";*r to the S-itlro"iu" Institution to be applied io "the advancement of geophysics'"" --fii-

tUoognUriloàrs and willingness to assist-in matters covering a wide-field was litt'le

reair"¿ uy tnã maiority of his u"qäuiotuo"u.. It was at his suggestion tlat t\er^e was estab-

iirUJir igOg; ¡yih""National .A.ïademy of Sciences, 3, mSdal to be conJerred from time to

;t*;õ;.;"o ,,ïho can not be classed as eminent scientists, but rvho are eminent in the

uppli"Jtio" of sbience to tho public we{are." His articloin the National GeographicMagazine,;'f""d; of the Uittuoàers," ï* u model of unprejudiced plain spea,king-and unquestionably

aiJ -"cn towa,rd clarifying the public mind on a subject concerning which it was at best

ooo"to informed. His reñark in that connection that "no man of ordinarSr virtue who does

ffiiä"*lË-hi;"u ;th the country in which he lives, to whom that country is not a'home'

*iI oru hiå official powor . . . for ihe best interests of the community from which he longs

to be gone" is worthy of repetition' . .Becker took an

"ur¿""t and decidod stand in the Great War; and though there is found

Iittle on the subject i" nir correspondence, it is known that he was thoroughly american in

thougbt and action.Doctor Becker enjoyed a wide range of acquaintances both alnong the scientiûc fraternity

in,{.merica and abroaäänd what is co-mmonly spoken of as "society," partigularly that of

tilhtgh"" circles of political life, and around his hospitable table there gat'hered not only ûrêrlt:

ber" oÏ tbe congresriooal delogaíions, but the Cabinet, Supreme Court, and foreign legations

as r,v'ell.

Doctor Becker received the degree of Ph.D. (summa cum tauda) from the University of

Heidelberg in 1869, buiog, it is saidfthg fi"t! foreign student to attain ihis distinction, and was

dJ";i"d *irh high noñá"* from-ihe Royal Academy oJ Mines of Berlin in 1871. Hewasan

ãrg"rr reilow of ãhe Geological Socielv óf America and was_prcsident 9f tfe same in 1914'

Ile rr.as a member of the Naltional Acadãmy of Sciences, the Washington Academy of Sciences,

tnã C"ofogical Society of Washington, thä American Institute of Mining Engineers, and an

hooo"u"y äember of thu Geologicãl Society gl _S"yB {dgu. With the exception of the two

Vã*- idS2-1894, when the posltion ** u-bontned- for lagk of apgropriatioll, Doctor Becker

telil in the United Stot". Gäologicat Survey, for the entire period from 1880 until his death,

the position of "geologist in charge."---- -rr" r"p".."ot""d th"e Governm-ent in difierent geological congresses and in the Radioactivity

Congress in Brussels of 1910.

Doctor Becker was tbr.ice married. First to Sarah M. Barnes, from wbom he was

legatly separated in 1879, and on J-une 17 of the seme year to Alice Theodora Watson, who

¿i-"¿ ä*ly in the y"u,rifoílo*iog. On X'ebruary 11, t902,_h9 was married to tr'lorence Serpell

D"nkio*,"who suråves him. During the later years of_his life he suffered severelyfrom asthma

and its åomplications, but retainedl,ctive interest in his work unti] thi¡ last. He died at his

home in lMaihington, ,A-pril 20, 1919' at the age of 72 years'

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Page 17: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

BIBLIOGRAPFry OF GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER

Compiled by Isaror, P. Ev¡¡rs

L874

De6nition of metallurgy: Min. and Sci. Press, vol. 29, p. 888, Nov. 28, 1874.

187õ

Metalturgical Science: C¿liforni¿ University Bull. 7, 12 pp., Jan., 1876.

Silver; thetre¿tmenù¿ndreduction of ores: Daily Alta Californie, vol.27, no,90õ6, p. 1, Jan. 18, 187õ; also

Min. and Soi. Press, vol.30, p. 65, Jan.30, 187õ.

Gotd: Min. and Sci. Press, vol. áô, p. ze, Jan. á0, 1875.

Steel: Doily Morning Call, San Francisco, vol. 37, no. 69, p. 1, Feb. 7,1876.Quicksilver and fuel: Min. and Sci. Press, vol. 30, PP. 98, 102, Feb. 18, 1875

The Comstock; o new feature of its formâ,tion:'Daily Morning Call, San flancisco, vol. 38, no. 141, p. 1, Oot.19, 1875.

Notes on a new feature in the Comstock lode: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 10, PP. 469-462, Dec.r 187õ.

1876

Public education and the Carpenter bill: Daily Evening Bulletin, San Francisco, Thursday, Mar. 9, 1876.

A cosùly consequence of the Carpenter bill: Daily Evening Bulletin, San Francisco, Tuesday, Mar. 14, 1876.

The future of the State superintendoncy: Daily Alta California, Ma,r. 16, 1876.

t877

Education; iüs relation to the State ¿nd individual, and its mothods: Callforni¿ Univereiùy Bull. 28, 72 pp.,

Dec., 1877. lgzg

The rainfall in California: California University Bull. 31, 10 pp., tr'eb., 1878.

Contribution to the history of speotrum analysis: Am. Jour. Sci.,3d ser., vol. 16, PP.392-393, Nov., 1878.

Correotion for v&cuum in chemical analysis: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 16, pp. 266-269, I ûg., 1878. Also,Ueber die Reduction der Wägungen auf den luftleeren R¿um bei der chemigchen Analyse: Liebig's Annalen,8d.195, pp.222-227, pI.2, ûg.6' 1879.

lgg0

[Reconnaissanco of the San Francisco, Eureka, and Bodie districts, Nevada]: U. S. Geol. Survey, ClarenceKing, Director, 1st Ann. Rept., 187S-80, pp.37-47, TVasbington, 1880.

-Atomic weight determinations; a digest of the invesùigations published since 1814: Smitbsonian Misc. Coll.tno.358, 149 pp., 1880.

(and Hague, J. D.). Mining industries at the Paris oxposition of 1878. Report of tho Commissioners,vol.4, pp. 165-361, 1880.

r882

Ä summary of the geology of the Comstock lode and the IVa¡hoe district: U. S. GeoL Survey, J. W. PowelltDirector,2d Ann. Rept., 1880-1881, pp. 291-330, 1882. Abstract, Science, vol.4, pp. 66-67' 1884.

Geology of the Comstock lodo and Washoe district: U. S. Geol. Survey, Mon., vol. 3, xv, 422 pp., 7 pls., folio¿tlas of 21 sheets, Washington, 1882.

1883

On tbe rela,tions of temperature to glaciation: Am. Jour. Sci., 8d ser., vol. 26, pp. 167-175r Sept., 1883.

1884

The influenoe of conveotion on glacia,tion: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 27, pp. 478-476, Juoe' 1884.

The relations of the mineral belts of the Pacific slope to the great upheavals: .Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol 28tpp,20V212, Sept., 1884. Absùraot, Am. Nat., vol. 19' p. 1210, 1885.

[Notes on Colifornia]: Science, vol.8, p. 665, 1884.Geology of quicksilver: U. S. Geol. Survey, tr'ourth Ann. Rept., pp. 4G-41, 1884.

[U. S. Geological Survey wotk ¡n California]: Scienee, vol. 3, p. 665, 1884.

18

Il

Page 18: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

L6 GEORGD FERDINAND BECKER-MDRRILL

188õ

Notes on the stratigraphy of California: U. S. Geol. Survey, J. W. Powell, Direcùor, Bull. 19, vol. 3, pp. 198-218,1886. Abstraoùs, Am. Nat., vol. 19, pp. 1211-1212, 1885. Am. Jour., Sci. 8d ser., vol. 30, pp. 399-401,'r885.

Reporü, division of the Paciûcr U. S. Geol. Survey, J. W. Powell, Director, 6th Ann. Rept., 188t1.-8õ, pp. 67-70,1885.

Geological skotch of the PaciÊc division: 10th Census U. S., vol. 13, statisüics and technology of the preciousmetals, pp. &-õ9, 188õ.

Impact friotion and faulting: Arn. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 30, Þp. 116-128, 194-209, 24+-246, Aug.-Sept., 1885.The geometrical form of volcanic cones and the elastic limit of lava: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 80, pp. 283-293,

Oot., 1885. 1886

A theorem of maximum dissipattviùy: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 31, pp. 11õ-120, Feb., 1886.Anewlas¡of thermo-chemistry: Am. Jour. Sci.,3d ser., i'ol.31, Þp. 120-125, Feb., 1880; Sci. Am. Suppl., vol.

2L, no.537, pp. 8575-8576, 1886.Cretaceous meüamorphic rocks of Colifornia:

Am. Nat., vol. 20, pp. 72tt--725, 1880.

TMDMOTRS N¿'TIOX,U,- [YoL XXI,

Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 31, pp. 348-357, May, 1886. Absùract,

1887

The W¿shoe rocks: Oalifornia Acad. Sci. Bull., vol. 2, no. 6, pp. 08-120, Jau., 1887. Abstracts, Am. Not.'vol. 20, p. 1050, 1886; vol. 22, þp.639-640, 1888; Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 33, pp. 7S-76, Jan., 1887.

The texüure of magsive rocks: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., r'ol. 38, pp. õ0-58, Jan,, 1887. Abstract, Pop. Sci'Monthly, vol. 31, pp,425-426, L887.

Natural solutions of cinnabar, gold, and associaüed sulphides: Am. Joûr. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 38, pp. 199-210,Mar., 1887.

Notes on tho relative production and relatii'e value of the ¡>recious metals: In D. Atkiuson's reporü upon thepresent st¿tus of bimeüallism in Europe: U. S. õOth Cong., 1st sess., Sen. Ex. Doc. tro. 34, vol. 1, pp. 47-56,1887; also report from Consulg of U. S. Dept. State, no. 87, pp. 42&-433, Dec., 1887.

A sketch of ù.ho geological devolopmenú of the Paciûc slope: Newporü Nat. Hist. Soc., Proc., vol. õr pp. 3-11'1887'

1888

Reporü, C¿liforni¿ division of geology: U. S. Geol. Survey, J. l[¡. Powell, Dírectot, 7th Rept., 188F-86, pp.98-97,1888.

Geology of the quickeilver deposits of the Paciûc slope: U. S. Geol. Survey, Mon. 13, xix, 486 pp.' 7 pls.' atlasof 14 sheets, folio, 1888. Abstracts, Am. Geol., vol. 5, pp. 17&-180' 1800; Am. Nat', vol. 24, þP.850-851, 1890; Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol.39, pp. 68-69, 1890; Eog. and Min. Jour., vol. 49, pp. 187-138'1890.

1889

Report, United States Geological Survey, Californio divisiou of geology: U. S. Geol. Survey, Dighth Reporü,J. 'W. Powell, pp. 153-155, 1889.

Roport, California division¡ U. S. Geol. Survey, Ninth Roporù, J. W. Powell, pp. 100-102, 1889.

Silicio acids: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d 6er., vol. 38, pp. 154-157' 1889.

Summary of the geology of the quicksilver deposits of the Paciûc olopo: U. S. Geol. Survey, Eighth Rept.'J. 1{. Powell, pp. 9ô1-985, Plates 62, 63, 1889.

1890

An elementary proof of the earùh's rigidity: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 39, pp. 386-352, May, 1890. 'Report, California division: U. S. Geol. Survey, Teuth Reporú, J. W. Powell, pp. 141-144, 1890. Absüract,

idem, pp. 27-28,1890. 1gg1

Crystalline schists of the Coasü Ranges of California: Cougress géologique fnt., 4th session, Loudon, 1888tpp. 170-176, 1891.

Structure of a porüion of the Sierra Nevada of California: Geol. Soc. Arn., Bull., vol. 2, pp. 49-74, Jørl,. 10, 1891.

Abstracts, Am. Geol., vol. 7, pp. 20L-222, 1890; .Arn. Nat., vol. 24, p.276, 1890..A.ntiquities fiom under Tuolumne Table Mounüain in California: Geol. Soc. Ain., Bull., vol. 2, pp. 18S-198t

pl, 7, Feb., 1891. Abstracts, Am. Geol., vol. 7, pp. 132,258, 1890; Am. Nat., vol. 26, p. 366, 1891.

Notes on the early Cretaceous of California and Oregon: Geol. Soc. Am., Bull., vol. 2, pp. 20l-206, Feb. 20,1891. Abstracüs, Am. Geol., vol. 7, p, 2õ8i Am. Nat., vol. 25, p. 305, 1891.

Page 19: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

r

ACÂDEITY o¡. SCIDNCESINo.2l BIBLIOGRAPITY

1893

The ûnite elastic süress-strain function: Am. Jour. Sci., 8d ser., vol. 46, pÞ. 337-356, Nov., 1893.Quicksilver oro deposits: U. S. Geol. Survey, Min. Res., 1892, pp. 139-168, 1893.Finite homogeneous strain, flow, and rupùure of rocks: Geol. Soa. Am., Bull., vol. 4, 13-90, Jan. 3, 1898. á,b

stract, Am. Gool. vol. 11, p. 411, 1893.

"Potential," a Bernoullian term: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 4õ, pp. 97-100, X'eb., 1893.The interior of the earth: Norùh,A.m. Review,, pp;489-448, Apr., 1893.Fisher's new hypothesis: Am. Jour. Soi,, 3d ser., vol. 46, pp. 137-139, Aug., 1898.

1894

Ou cerüain a¡tronomical conditious f¡vorablo to glaciaüion: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 48, pp. 96-113, ûgs.1-3, Aug., 1894. Absüraot, Am. Geol., vol. 14, pp. 191-192, 1894.

Sobre Ia teoria do la suetitución en Almadeu: Sociedad española de Historia n&tural, 2d ser., vol. 3 (23), pp.1-8, Oct., 1894.

The genesis of ore deposits [discuoses a p&per on the samo subject by F. Poåepnf]: Am. Inst. Min. Eng., Îrans.,vol.23, pp.602-604, 1894. . lgg'

The torsional theory of jolnts: ttm. Inst. Min. Eng. Trans., vol.24, pp. 13G-138, 866-867, 1895.Gold ûelds of the southe¡n Appalachians: U. S. Geol. Survey, 16th Ann. Rept., pt. 3, pp. 2õ1-831, pls. 1&-18,

1896. Absùracú, Reconnaigeance of ühd gold ûelds of the southern Appalachians: Am. Jour. Sci., 4th ser.,vol. 1, pp. 57-60, Jan., 1896.

Distribution of gold deposits in Ala¡ka lRead befo¡e the Geological Socieüy of Washington, Nov. 18, 189õ]:Jour. Geol., vol.3, pp. 960-962, Nov.-Deo., 1895.

1896

Schistosiúy and slaty oleavoge: Jour. Geol., vol.4, pp. 429-448, figs. 1-õ, May-June, 1896.The Witwstersrond ond the revolü of the Uitlanders: Nat. Geog. Mag., vol. 7, no. 11, pp. 849-88714 pls., Nov.;

1896.The gold ûelds of Souùh Africa: Cosmopoliüan Mag., vol. 22, no.2, pp, t7O-174, 3 figs., Dec., 1896.

1897

Tlre present va,lue of the Wiùwatersra.nd: The Economisü, London, vol. õ5, pp. 4-Þ, Jan,2, !897.Some queries on rock differenti¿tion: Am. Jour. Sci., 4üh ser., vol. 3, pp. 2l-40, Jan., 1897. Rpview by C. F.

Tolman, jr., Jour. Geol., vol. õ, pp. 393-398, 1897. Absüract, SciÞnco, new se¡., vol. 4, p. g27, Dec. 18,1896.

Note on compuüing diffusion: Am. Jour. Sci., 4th ser., vol. 3, pp. 280-286, Apr., 1897.Fractional crystallization of rocks: Am. Jour. Sci., 4th ser., vol. 4, pp,257-261, fig. 1, Oct., 1897.Lewis on the dia¡nond: Science, nelv ser., vol. 6, pp. 664-667, Oct. 29, 1897.New diamond ûnd in the Transvaa,l: Science, new ser., vol. 6, pp. 726-727, Nov. 12, 1897.Discussion of Dr. Don's pa,per on the genesis of certain auriferous lodes: Am. Inst. Min. Ðo9., Ttaos., vol,27,

pp. 998-999, 1897.Wiù¡vatorsrand banket, with notes on other gold-bearing pudding süones: U. S. Geol. Survey, 18th Ann. Rept,

pt.õ, pp. 1õ3-184, pl. 1, fig. l, 1897.1898

Ar¡riferous conglomerates of the Transvaal: Am. Jour. Sci., lth ser., vol. 5, pp. 193-208, Mar., 1898.I(ant as a natural philosopher: Am. Jour. Sci., 4th ser., vol. õ, pp. 97-112, Feb., 1898.On the determinaùion of plagioclase feldepars in rock sectiong: Am. Jour. Sci., vol. õ, pp. 349-354, pl. 8, May,

1898.American treatment of fndians: Manila Times, Dec. 17, 1898. Also, De oomo tratan a los indios en la Ame¡ica

del Norüo: La Repúblioa Filipina, Mandaloyon, &ro 1, no. 78, Dec., 1898.The Philippine quesúion: Manila Times, Wednesday, Deo. 7, 1898.Territorial government in the Uniùed Sùates; Manila Times, Dec., 23, 1898. Also Gobierno territorial do los

Estados-Unidos: República Filipina, Mandaloyon, ano 1, no. 83, Dec. 23, 1898.tr'ree educaüion in the United States: Manila Times, Dec. 27, 1898. Also, Educación libro en los Esüados-

Unidos; La Independencia, periodico ûlipino, &no 1, no.98, Dec. 24, 1898.[Explicacion de los propositos que anÍman al Gobierno do 'ÍVashingtonrespectoal porvenirdel pueblo filipino]:

República Filipina, Mandaloyon, ano 1, no. 87 [p. 1], Deo. 28, 1898.Memorandum on the mine¡al resources of the Philippine fslands: U. S. Geol. Sirvey, 19th Ann. Rept., pt. 6,

(cont.) Mineral Resources for 1897, pp. 687-693, 1898. Reprinted in the U. S. õõtb Ccing.,3d sess., Sen. doc.no. 62, pt.2, pp.514-518, 1899.

L7

Page 20: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

1.8 GEORGE F,ERDTNAND BEGKIR_MERRITTD r:' [MÈMorBslN-Á,rIoNir,

Review.ed in Zeit. für prak. Geol.,

U. S. Geol. Surley,

1900;. .. : ..RightsandwrongsinSouthAfrica:The'Forurg;vol.ì29;rho.l.1'pp.31-37,Mâ,r.,.,1900;..,'''.',..Are the ?hilippines worth.having?: ,Scribnét¡s Mag.,,vol. :2f.;:,no.t6, pp: ?B$-Z52,.illus.; June,,lg00: ì::Brief memorandum on the geology of the Philippine fslands: U. S. Geã1. Survey, 20th înn. Rept., pt. 2, pp.

3-7, 1900. , ,, .l

1901'. . :. i:1.:: a,, 1." 1,.; ,...;, . .:: ' ',. :,:l ¡::,.: , ., .... ,... ,: : :, .:; .. .;..,,, ,. .::..::; ,..-

Presidenù McKinley's death; a memorial'address:. Ticondéroga Sentinel,,week of Sept. 15, lg0l. .. , :Conditions requisite to oirr,success,in the Philippins'tslands:..1Nm: Geog. Soc., Bull¡;ys1. BB,.pp. 112-12B,.Aprì,

r901..Report an -the;géology of the. Fhilippinêr fshndo;.ifollowed by a,version,of l'rUeber Tertiare fossilien von.dên

Philippinen" (1895) bV K. Martin: U. S. Geol. Survey, 2lst Ann. Rept., pt.r3,;pp.:'.493:625, Btpls.;,2 ûgs.,1901. Abstract, Am. GeoI., vol. 28, pp. 12G-127, 1901.

, .:: .. ,',':.1:,:,:t::.:it ::..1., .;:,.1gþ3, , ir. .,,1 ,,i .i.i.., ,

- i - .. . : ....P.roject for,à.geophysical labbratory;i append,ix, I);to repöiú;:of':Adviðory Committee orir.Gêophysics: 'Caùnegie. Inst. of Washington, Yearb. no. 1, pp.44-58, 1903. .. : ,: .. ,. I :r:ì r,.. . . : .: : l-., , r' :i _. .:., .

1904.' . ,ì:..; ,i : , :..r r.,t-: .:

IIow small an &rmy we need. [Seen only in manuscrfpt-, written in lgO4-not found in print.]Construction of geophysical laboratory: Carnegie l¡ist. of Wash., Yearb. No. 2, 1903, pp. 186-1g4, 1g04.Experimentsonschistosi,ty-,andslalyclgayag9¡ u..s.Geol.Çu..rrgy,,,Bul,N9,,p4t,.!Srpp.,zp!s.¡,_1g04..,.,...,:....,P.rgpgp!;probte:n19f,Blonh¡ics: Science, new,ser., vol.20, pp.,¡+'¡-;SSO, O"l:zl1r'tgOii,,eqg,,á;¿ À4io.,Jóur.,

vol.78, pp.74&-744, Nov. 10, 1904 (in part). Am. Geol., vóÍ.85, pp.4-2,i,' Jan., 1905. ,. ;,.,4,..-.:itì :'.'r: ,: . ,...- ,:,,,i.OOS::,.:...;,:.,,,:::.j,i .,: r 1r...' :.,,-,r.,_i,:.i ri:r,.,1 .:i.,:.

Simr:Itaneous joints: Eng. and Min. Jour., vol. 79, pp. 1182-1184, I figs., June 22, lg15. Washingúon Acad.Sci., proc:,,vo1.,2, pp.267-2-7.þ, l,pJ.,Jul¡1!4r.!99q., ,.. : ..,ì:. ,,, , ,, ,,.. ,,.. , j: j

A feature.of -lVIayón'volca,ng; Wasþ {cad. . çir ye!,,7; pp. ,277-282, p!, 18, J.uty,2{, 1905. , ,:,.. ":,.. , , "Introductiop,tg Day and Atl.gals '.lfsornorphisrn,¿nd'thqrqal,p¡ope¡fies;,of.f,þe,fgþspa¡gi.':.",'Carnggie¡Inst.,'Washington, Pub. No. 31, pp. 5-12, 1905.

(and Day, A. L.)r. ÍIhe linear force.of-growing crystals: Waphinglo4 Acad. Sci:, P:oc.,. vol. Z, pp.ÞSS-2qS,1 tg., July.2{, 19-O¡..

(and Day, A. L.)14, July 24, t905.

An inte¡esting.psgu-d9p9lld,:,, W-ashi4gton Acad..Sci.,. Proc,, vol.,7- pç.,ZSS-ZOOr,.pi.

Presgntp¡cllgEs-o!^S_eophyqiqs:..Cqngress of Artq and Science, Ugivgrsal {xpogition, St- Louis; l9ö-4; iol 4,';'ppJ'508-522, 1906." -:''rj-:-l .r.,'1r.: i,.: :,,ii.¡,i:, ì' . : ':.r.'r r; :'r,,,: ,'" 'ji.:r.1907: ,:':.

Current theories of slaty cleavage: Am. Jour..Sci., 4tL ser., vol.24, pp. 1-17, 6 figs., July, 1g0Z Á,bstracü:Sciencê;'irew.,Ser.,'vol.25,ÞP.967._368;J.une:21;1907..j.

Methods of igneous intrusion:(abstract):'Science, rew ser., vol.25, p.622¡ Apr, 19, 1902.,,, ,. t:,.: ' :, : :., j,::1908

Relationsof radioäctivity to cosmogonyand'geology: Geol. Soc. Am., Bull.,.vol. 19, pp. 113-L46, iune, 1g08.age of a cooling globe ín whichith"e iäiiiri iøipå¿ture inçreases ¿i."¿uy'ä¡ tn" oJt¿t"" i""*'tn:ã-¡,iii-."i

Science, new ser., vol.27, pp.227-233, Feb. 7, p. 392, Mar. 6, 1908.t: - : ..,. ,.,1. ;.... :.._._:jli. :.,,..1, : ',,.t,.,..,. .,:,:. ,.:,,._,

1909't, : .: :,,,:,".: ;

Origin of the gold of the Rand goJd ,figld: Ec, Gqolog¡¡ vol, 4r pp; B7Q:884, .Ju-ng, l9g9. , ., -, , , . , ,.Half a.cgnlury.- in geology; p¡ogres,q madq qine,: {saqsiz dipqg¡e¡e{.sÞclel period; N9w Yqrk Tìmes, Secitiq4,gf

,A.stronomyandMeteorology,Sunday,Dec.12;r909...¡-:= ,(31d Y.an O¡qtrand, C. E) Hyperbolig fg+ctiqni.! ,Spalth¡qqlgq,Malhematical,Tableq pq,,iii,li, 1-.?l-,

Relations bétween local magnetic disturbances and the genesis of petroléum¡ U,.St Geo].' Suqvey BulI.401,24 pp., 1 pl., 1909.

Page 21: George F. Becker - National Academy of Sciences · GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER By Geoncu P. lVlnnn¡¡,r, Dr. Georgetr'. Beokerwasborn in NewYork City, January 5,L847. His fatherwasAloxander

*3:3Ì"" oF scr'Nc'sl BrBLIoGRAprrr 19

1910

Halley on the age of tho ooean: Science, ûere Êer., vol. 31, pp. 45$-461, Mar. 2õ, 1g10.The age of the earth: Smithsonian Miso. Coll., vol. 66, uo. 6, pp. 1-28, 1910.Reflections on Joly's method of determining the ocean's ago: Science, new ser., vol. 31, pp. 509-612, Apr. 1,

1910' rglr

Some new mech¿nical quadratures: ?hilos. Mag., vol. 22, þÞ,342-3õ3. Aug., 1911..A new toy motor: Science, nest ser., vol. 34, p. 683, Nov. 17, 1911.

19L2

Biographical notico of Samuol Franklin Emmons: An. Inst. Min. Eng., Bull. no, 57, pp. 673-691, 1 pl. (port.)Sept., 1911; idem, Trans., vol,42, pp.643-661, I pl. (port.), 1912.

Mojor C. E. Dutton [1841-1912]: Am. Jour. Sci., 4th ser., vol. 33, pp. 387-388, Apr., 1912.The Gudermannian complement and imaginary geometry: Phil. Mag., vol. 24, pp. 600-608, Oct., 1912.

1913

Gold production; a discussion of its efrects on prices and wages; possibilities of new ûelds: Now York TimesAnnalist, p. 120, Feb. 10, 1918.

Biographical notico of Samuel I'ranklin Emmons [reprinted from Am. Inet. Min. Eng., Trans., vol. 42, pp.043-661, 1 pl. (port.) 19121. In Emmons, S. F., Ore deposiùs, pp. xxix-xlvii, Nerv York, 1913.

Tho to¡sional theory of joints (with discussion by II. M. IIorne, R. IV. Roymond, G. B. Becker, and C. R.Boyd) [reprinted'from Am. Inst. Min. Eng., Trons., vol.24, pp. 13G-138,863-867, 18951. fn Emmons,B. F., Ore deposits, pp. 92, 104, t ûg., New York, 1913.

1914

Note on mean donsity of fractured rocks: Washington Acad. Scl. Jour., vol. 4, no. 15, pp. 429-4'gl, Sept. 19,1914.

191õ

On the earth considered as e heat engine: Nat. ,{cad. Sci., Proo., vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 81-86, Feb.; uo. 4, pp.257-258, Apr., 1915.

fsostasy ¿nd r¿dioactivity: Geol. Soo. 4,m., Bull., vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 171-204, Mor. 31, 1915; Science, newser., vol.41, pp. 157-160, Jan.29, 1915.

1916

 possiblo orlgin for some spiral nebulae: Nat. Aoad. Sol., Proo., vol. 2, pp. l-8, Jen., 1916.(and Day, A. L.) Note on the linear force of growing orystals: Jour. Geology, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 818-

333, 3 ûgs., May-June, 1916.Conservatio virium vivarum: Science, new ser., vol. 43, pp.74&-744, May 26, 1916.

1917

Mechanics of the Panama Canal slldes: U. S. Geol. Survey, Prof. Paper 98, pp. 253-261,3 figs., 1917. [Sep-arato published July 25, 1916.1 Abstract, Washington A,cad. Soi., Jour., vol. 7, no. 1, p. 13, Jan. 4, tglZ.

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