The New York herald., 1869-09-16


heard lectures monetary and business matters at
the Commercial College. In 1901 he entered the
Mining Academy at Freiberg and studied miner.
twenty-five years, he was called to Berlin and re-
ceved an appointment In the Mining Bureau. and
quickly promoted to the responsible position of
Chief Director of Mining In the Franconian pr,nc-
palitlcs.
About this time began his literary career. Already
IN 1790 he published anony nynousiy small treaIse
on ''The Basals on the Rhine," and even while at
Hamburg and at Frebreg ne contributed numerous
SUBJECTS, the wide range Of his information being
especially remarkable, including mining, mineral
ogy, geology, botany and chemistry In the year
1893 he wrote his experiments touching the eycta-
bity OF plants. their process OF respiration, nu-
tiition their c0lors aud scent. Galvan's celebrated
discovery was made known to Humboldt In 1902,
and he at once entered upon series Of experiments,
even trying the influence OF the gaivanic mud upon
his own body His work ON the irritability of the
muscle and nerve, published in 1884, created sen
satlon, and his theory was verified ntty years later
by dubois Reymcnd
His mother died in 1906. So long as she lived he
would not enter upon the plan OF ms travels; now,
alter her death. he concluded at once 10 realize his
wishes. lie resigned his orlice. and after spending
some time with his brother Wilhelm and with Goethe
aud schiller, at Jena attending. at Berlin, to the
distribution OF the estate leie by his mother, and
selling his part OF u a. once TO raise money Tor MS
travels. itay was the irst country TO be explored.
but delay ensued. The triumphant career OF Bona
parte in Italy in 1896, changed he political status OF
the country and Lne sprns OF iIs. FOUND the victo
was agreed on but tho movements OF troops contln-
ucd 1hs WAS no time for scientific cxpOra-
tons in the midst OF warning armies, and
the trip TO Italy was given up. Alex
ander spent the following winter at Sar-
oyburg IN company with Leo2od yon BGch. IL was
views OF the crust OF the EARTH and from Nep-
tunIst he become Piutonist. While here he made
Humboldt hurried to Paris to purchase the necessary
instruments, and Lord Bristol waited his return at
Milan, where the plan was suddenly disarranged BY
NapoeOns Invasion OF Egypt and the arrest OIL Lord
Bristol by the French IN Milan.
But the trip TO Paris was destined to bear import
ant results. The French Museum was organizing an
expedition to explore the southern hall or the globe
Captain Baudin was to command and Mohaux and
Bonpland were attached to 1t as naturalists.
Directory to accompany the expedition and
he at once set to work making all
He PREVAILED :. his
eau aboriginal languages, and he himself made ex-
perments aided b. Gay ussac in order to ascertain
the true composition OF the earths atmosphere.
But again came disappointment. new coalition
was formed against republican France, the govern
ment needed ali the money to prepare for war and
tue expedition OF Captain Baudln Was postponed for
ever.
lie then prepared to JON French scientific expe-
~ 81 Of a PVas o.
the French fleet and cut OF all communication be.
tween France and Egypt.
AT Marsei.les the Swedish Consul SkIoldebrand
was awaiting the arrival OF Swedish vessel-of.war
10 take him to Alglers, and he offered Humboldt and
Bonpand passage the offer was accepted, and 1t
was Intended to explore the Atlas range OF noun
tans up to the line OF eternal snow IN Morocco.
Fully two months they waited for the SHIP and 1t did
not come, as 1t was compelled TO run into Cadiz Tor
repairs Not desparlng the two travellers chartered
small vessel TO take them to Tunls, but just
point OF embarkng news reached them That the Bey
OF Tun3 was prosecuting the French and imprsOn-
ing all persons arriving from France. Thus again
their plan was f0lled.
What was to be dones Humboldt at once con.
ceived the plan, 10 which BOnpianu assented to try
their fort In Spain. and tnlther they went early
In 1899. Iney travelled slowly, Bonpand making
and ls,nt, hold
magnetlcal, astronomical anu barO-
metrcal observations. At last they reached Madrid
and here through the intereesson Of the Minister OF
Saxony, Baron fOrel, and the Cnief or the Spanish
Cabinet, Mariana LUIS de Urquuo, they received the
royal PERMISSION to vlslr the Spanlsh-Amercan colO
mes and traverse them wthOus hlndrance. In May
HUMBOLDT and his companion were ut Corunna
from whence vessel was 70 take them to Havana,
but the oe that had reentlessy prosecuted him for
years was again at wOrk-unav0idable delay. The
Engllsh blocKaded the harbOr and no vessel could
leave. At last, on the 5th OF June, 17SQ. at two
m
sailed. fortunately evadlng the British blockading
vessels.
Five years and TWO months did Humboldt remain
on the Western Continent, 4 short period compared
even with single lifetime. But the results Of these
few years OF labor were pr0diglOus. His expert
ments, researches and discoveries, systematically
arranged BY mis- clear and penetrating mind, pro-
duccG entire change In the science OF nature anu
during these few years, IL Is admi.ted oy ali, Alex
ander Won HUMBOLDT did more for the progress OF
science, for the increase VI our or nature
and Of natures laws than had been done for centu-
rles before him.
lie was not Idle on board the ship. Tho currents
OF the ocean were little known. Even the Gulf
stream was but partially known, and that only for
about twenty years, since Franklin's observations.
But Of its extent It's clrcut-between the eleventh
ana fOrty-thlrd degrees OF northern latltude-no
was as yet formed. 1t was HumbOldt
whose close examination Oh the temperature OF the
sea- Of the ,ns changes Of Q! tue & rss
after years were made the basis OF further lnvesti
gatons and gave rise to "Msury's Geography Of the
,ean
While at TsnerlYe, the celebrated volcano the
Peak de Teyde was ascended. 1nls TACT Is mentioned
here because or It's Important results. 1t was here
mat the thought first occurred 10 him that all
organic forms dependent on climate and the ee-
vaIOn OF the soil above the sea- He remarked
whhe going up the sides OF Tue peak the payslog-
helgnts and wnile AZ the loot TROPICAL plants luXu-
rated IN all their profusenes the same mosses the
same species OF low vegetation were iound towards
Tie summit a. In Lapland. he held on to this
lnougnt throughout his travels aud every succeed
ing research ali MS explorations OF hill. mountain
and vale, Confirmed tae theory out OF which grew
his great work, stamping nm IS the founder ol the
science Of the 'GeOgraphy OF the Plants"
And here was laid The foundation OF another DIS
covery. lie examined the volcanic character OF the
mountains and from II, and combining the cont.
nuIiy OF volcanic eruptions fom Europe to America,
he found new theory, now genera ~ adopted. OF
volcanic activity In the interior OF the gloDe aud It's
influence upon the formation OF the crust OF the
earth.
The breaking out OF ship fever board the Pizarro
changed tne destination Of the travellers and In
cad OF gong to Havana and Vera cruz they landed
at Cumana, on the coast OF Venezuela, then known
as Nueva Andausia, on the 1Oth OF July, 1890. Not
three years before-on the lsth OF Decenb I797-a
terrible earthquake had destroyed four-hfths of the
city, and Tie traces OF that sion were yet visible
everyw where. Humboldt ana bonpland having their
nrsl observations on lenerfe still III mind, did not
iorego this opportunity OF making Iurther researches
ana fully were they repaid. Every part Of the
globe, SAID Humboldt, furnishes peculiar suoIec1s
OF inquiry and II we may not hope to and the causes
OF natural phenomena We may At least Try to ascer.
tain their laws, and by comparison OF Numerous
acts. to distinguish what Is common and oft return
lug from the cnangeaDle and accIdenta.n IL was
th IS rule which he applied TO AL his observations
ard researches throughout lie.
Space would not allow OF continuing the recital OF
the travels OF Humboldt at such detail az was done
up TO this IL was believed to be necessary to re-
count the studous preparations he had made almost
from childhood up To the time he reached manhood,
at thirty years. in order TO show the constancy with
which he had devoted himself 10 science and the de-
termination not TO be baed by vclssltudes and DIS
appointments. mere cursory glance Of his trip
over the American Continent ~ now sufficent, the
more so SINCE the great innovations which he
wrought in natural philosophy, and which were for