Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-12-20
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 40. 1907.
LORD KELVIN DEAD.
World Noted Scientist.

ONE OF THE CENTURY's GREATEST INvEs-
TIGAToRs AND INVENTORS.
Glasgow, Dec. 17.-William Thomson,
first Lord Kelvin, the noted scientist,
died here today.
The famous man of science whose
death is announced in the foregoing dis
patch began life without title or any
heritage but that of brains. William
Thomsons ancestors for several genera
tions lived in the North of Ireland,
though they had a Scotch derivation.
His father, born on a farm, showed
passion for science at an early age, and
is said to have learned how to make a
sun dial for any latitude when only
eleven years old. The elder Thomson
(James) was educated at the old College
of Glasgow, was appointed professor of
mathematics in an institute in Belfast
(where William was born on June 20,
1924, and in 1882 complied with a re-
quest to make his Alma Mater the scene
of his activities, which were still devoted
to the same class of instruction. From
that day onward, in spite of numerous
temporary absences, Glasgow remained
the home of his distinguished son. Will
lam received part of his education di-
rectly from his father and little of it
from the institution to which the latter
had been called. Subsequently he enter
ed st. Peters College, Cambridge, where
he was graduated in 1915. He won not
able honors there, being first Smiths
prizeman of his year as well as second
wrangler. 1t is believed that the senior
wrangler owed his triumph to facility in
writing, for one of the examiners was
heard to say that he was unworthy to
cut Thomson's pencils for him. Nor was
intellectual e-eminence achieved at the
sacrifice of physical well-being. Thorn
son was devoted to athletics while at
Cambridge. and rowed i'll the winning
boat in a ace with Oxford.
At the age of twenty-five, and only a
year after his graduation, the young
scientist was chosen professor of natural
history in the University of Glasgow,
after having spent several months in the
laboratory of Regnault, in Paris. Re-
peated invitations were afterward given
to him to assume similar posts elsewhere,
but his loyalty to the great city on the
Clyde remained mistaken. In 1896,
three years before terminating his service
there and exactly half a century after
his appointment, he received a wonder
full tribute of admiration and affection.
The university and civil authority of
Glasgow, the leading scientific societies
of America and Europe and many indi-
viduals who were themselves distinguish
ed Gncluding the Prince and Princess of
Wales) united in that demonstration.
By personal presence. by formal address,
by letters, kilograms and cable messages,
they made his jubilee celebration an
event practically without parallel in the
history of science. Lord Kelvin was
elected chancellor of the university in
1904.
SEVERAL VISITS TO AMERICA.
Two of several visits to America were
made by Lord Kelvin in order to attend
meetings of the British Association for
the Advancement of Science. Ordinari-
ly those gatherings are held on the other
side of the Atlantic, but every now and
then Canada is honored. The meeting of
1884 was in Montreal, and that of 1897
in Toronto. Unlike some American
scientists, he was unfailing in his attend
ance on the annual assemblage of such
organizations long after it ceased to be
in their power to confer any distinction
upon him. His loyalty was betrayed not