SIR EDGEWORTH DAVID.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 306, 26 December 1924, Page 5

SIR EDGEWORTH DAVID.

FAMOUS SCIENTIST RETIRES. (Received 12.30 p.m.; SYDNEY, this day. Profeesor Edgewofth David hae retired from the chair Of geology and physical geography, after thirty-three years' service. Professor Cotton succeeds him.— (A. and N.Z. Cable. J " Pfofessor David," as he is still called by the mass of people who honour and admire the man, is retiring from Sydney University at the end of the year. As Sir T. W. Edgeworth David, K.8.E., C.M.G., D.5.0., F.R.S., F.G.S., 8.A., and honorary D.Sc. of Oxford and Manchester Universities, now 60 years of age, he is regarded as one of the most popular citizens of the State, and as its leading scientist, -with a record of erudition and exploration that few men can equal. He hopes to continue residence in Sydney; his home at Horhsby he is happy in, and in his garden he finds pleasure and exercise. Hie idea of a holiday, however, is not the usual one. He knocks off work at the University to continue working. He still continues to carry on his research work for the geology department at the University, particularly iv reference to the northern coalfields. There is much work to be finished there, he says. His work upon the Hunter Biver coalfields and oh the general structure of the coalfields, and the possibilities of future ! development, will occupy his full attention, He has brought out a work upon the Maitland coalfields; and he is now engaged on the second part of that work, though still chairman of the Professorial Board, and a member of the Senate, he has been granted leave of absence from the routine work at the University—lectures, etc.—in order to allow him to devote time to complete hie book on the geology of the Commonwealth. Geological researches have been made by the scientists of the various States, each Working independently on his own field; but Sir Edgeworth David is correlating these studies and discoveries into a work that will deal with the geology of the whole of the Commonwealth and its mineral resources. He hopes to publish this work next year. He has but one hobby, but it is a rare one. Work. When he hae any spare time from his work, he takes out a geological expedition somewhere, which means more work. "To mc," he cays, "it is a delight to get a new piece of country I and work out its geology. There are . immense areas in Australia that have not yet been touched, and naturally I have not been able to visit personally i many interesting portions, though I I have travelled over many parts, euch :as that of Central Australia two years ago." Prof. David's pnrt in the first Shackloton Antarctic expedition is already history. Hβ wrote the greater part of the two volumes of the geology of Antarctica, and the first volume was largely his. His joint author in that important work was Prof. Raymond E. Priestley. " It was the glamour of the unknown, the keen desire for the advancement of knowledge, and the opportunity of seeing the sister continent of Australia in the south, the quest for something freeh, that took mc to the Antarctic. Down thero I had to take a great risk iin making a decision of great responsi- | bility. Both the captain of the ship and ; Shackleton pressed mc to stay, though I 1 had obtained leave only for the long vacation. On the one side was my promise to the University Senate to return within my time limit. On the other side was the rare opportunity for scientific research which would never offer itself to mc again. I thought that on the whole this was a golden opportunity in the interests of tho University and myself, and made my decision. The Senate forgave mc readily, and allowed mc a year's leave." Then came the war, and immediately the professor became again the man of action. He busied himself in getting 2000 picked miners from Australia for service at Gallipoli, but on the collapse of that adventure he found that his mining corps was urgently needed on the western front. The corps was sent right up to the front immediately on '! its arrival at France. Prof. David I occupied the position of chief of the scientific staff of the corps, in charge of ' J boring tests for dug-outs and machine- | gun emplacements, water supply and '(trenching. In that new field of warfare I there was an immense amount of scientiI fie work to be done. Incidentally it was Sir Samuel Hordern who generously provided the mining tools which the Australian Government were unable to supply. ; The greatest honour he earned during the war was his appointment as Chief Geologist at G.H.Q., and there his knowledge and energy proved invaluable. The blowing up of immense mines, such as those of Messines and Hill 00, will be remembered. In his youth Sir Edgeworth David rowpd in the New College oicht, and iwas keen on Rugby and gymnastics. The University yill miss him.