The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1872-01-17
Sin Roderie Imne, 1Iurehison.


Among the names of notable men of th,
mother country, whose death was announced by
the last telegraphic news from England, was thai
of Sir Roderic Nlurchison. The services render
ed by this eminent geologist to the cause o
science, and his connexion with the history oil
the discovery of gold in Australia, are recalled to
mind by this event
Roderic lmpey Murohisou was born on the
10Th February 1892, at Taradale Rosshire, Scot
land. His father was Kenneth Murchison. Esq.
He was educated at Durham Grammar School
and having chosen the military profession was
afterwards sent to the Military College Of Mar.
low. He entered the Both Regiment in 1907, at
the age of 10, and served in Spain aud Portugal
for some years. He was afterwards on the staff
of his uncle, General Sir Alexander Mackenzie
and Became Captain OF the 9th Dragons. But
after the restoration OF peace while the prospects
open to martial ambition were passing away, the
attention of Murchison was more and more drawn
to science; and the study OF geology especially
engaged his mind, From the year 1916 the adj
vancement OF this, amid manifold labors for the
extension of knowledge, science has been the
chief object of his labors. And, after several
years Of patient and earnest investigation he be-
gan to publish the result of his researches
Among the earliest of his publications were Geo
logical Memoirs of the Highlands of Scotland.
the Alps, and Germany In 1880 he published
treatise of Tertiary Deposits of Lower Styria,
Austria, and Bavaria. lie then devoted himself
to the examination of the pathological rocks of
Britain and after some seven years labor on this
subject, fully proved the existence Of distinct
system, between the Old Red Sandstone and the
Cambrian strata. This system included what had
been called Grauwacke (by the Germans) or Gray
wacke. 1t extends through a depth of nearly
10000 feet the upper strata OF it comprise the
DowntOn Sandstone, tilestone, upper Ludlow
shale,-the middle strata are Tarannon shale and
Llandovery slate.--the lower are Caradoc sand
stone, Bala limestone, upper and lower Landeilo,
aud volcanic rocks. The strata of this system
appear in various parts Of the world, and differ
ent names have been given to them By biologists
But as Murchison carried on his elaborate and
most successful investigations into the whole sys-
tenn in that part of Wales which was the country
of the tribe of Brtons called Siures, he gave the
system the name Surian. And in just recognl-
ton of his reeminence in the exploration of
this portion of the earth's crust, scientific men,
have abandoned other Names and agree
to denominate it the Silurian system Having
in the course of seven years laborious investiga-
ton, established the existence ard order Of the
Siluran system, he afterwards traced out the
same system in Norway Sweden and Russia. BE
also explored parts of Germany, Poland, and the
Carpathian Mountains
The report of his discoveries having reached
the Court of Russia, he was afterwards employed
by the Imperial Government in a comprehensive
geological survey of European Russia. In this
work he was associated with NJ. de Verneuil and |
Count Keyserling. Upon the presentation of
The first annual report of this survey the Emper-
Or Nicholas l. conferred on Mr.. Murehison the
second class of st. Anne in diamonds, and gave |
lin magnificent vase. When, after three years,
he completed his survey of Russia, the Emperor
conferred on him the Grand Gross of the Order
If st. Stanislaus, and appointed him member
If the Imperial Academy of Science. On his
eturn to England, the honor of knighthood was
conferred on him by the Queen.
While preparing his great work on THE Geo