KING, Clarence, American geologist : b. Newport, R. I., 6 Jan. 1842; d.
24 Dec. 1901. He was graduated from the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University in 1862, in 1863-66 was a member of the Cali fornia geological survey under the direction of Prof. J. D. Whitney (q.v.), discovered Mounts Whitney and Tyndall, the highest group in California, and with J. T. Gardiner executed the first survey of the Yosemite Valley. In 1866 he originated the plan for a survey of the western Cordilleran region at its widest point. This plan was finally sanctioned by the govern ment and under the auspices of the army engi neering department and King's direction, was executed as the °survey of the 40th and completed in 1872. The has been characterized as a °signal contribution to the material of The volume on 'Sys tematic Geology) (1878), the first of six con stituting the report, was written by King and has been highly esteemed. In 1872 certain swindlers sowed a tract in Arizona broadcast with rough gems; the discovery of valuable diamond fields was announced, and companies were organized for the exploration of the find.
The `fields" proved to be within the official limits of the 40th parallel survey, and were thereupon examined by King, who detected and proclaimed the fraud. In 1878 King organized the various surveys then active into the United States Geological Survey under general di rection of the Secretary of the Interior, and was appointed director of the survey. He resigned in 1881, attained a large practice as a mining expert, and undertook an uncompleted series of experiments to determine the action of the primal constituents of the earth under the con ditions assumed as existing at the time of its separation from the sun. Partial results were published by him in Silliman's Journal (Janu ary 1893) in an article on °The Age of the He wrote also, 'Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada) (1871), a description of his explorations, and a work of literary as well as scientific value.