MACLURE, William, American geologist : b. Ayr, Scotland, 1763; d. San Angel, near the city of Mexico, 23 March 1840. In 1796 he visited the United States, and in 1803 was in Europe as one of the commissioners to settle the claims of American citizens against France for spoliations during the revolution in that country. On returning to America he en gaged with zeal in the extraordinary private undertaking of a geological survey of the whole country. Depending on his own resources and observations at a time when geology was un known as a science, and few could appreciate his motives, he visited almost every State and Territory, crossing and recrossing the Allegha ties no fewer than 50 times. His first communi cation to the public was a memoir entitled 'Ob servations on the Geology of the United States, explanatory of a Geological Map,' read before the American Philosophical Society, 20 Jan. 1809, and published in Vol. VI of their 'Trans actions.' He still continued his explorations, and on 16 May 1817 presented another memoir to the society, published in their 'Transactions,' and also in a separate volume. The former publication was six years prior to that of the geological map of England prepared by William Smith, a production which gave him the title of father of English geology. To Maclure is equally due the title of father of American geol ogy. His publications attracted much attention to the science. He now settled in Philadelphia and gave his books and collections to the Acad emy of Natural Sciences of which he was presi dent from 1817 till his death. He lived in Spain, 1819-24, where he attempted to found an agricultural college, and returning in 1824 to the United States attempted to carry out a simi lar scheme in the New Harmony settlement in Indiana. Several distinguished naturalists from Philadelphia joined him in this enterprise, but the scheme failed. After 1828 he lived in Mex ico, always, however, with the intention of re turning to the United States, and with his in terest an the progress of scientific education there unabated. While in Mexico he wrote 'Opinions on Various Subjects,' devoted mainly to political economy (1837).
McMAHON, malc-ma'hOn, Sul Arthur Henry, British soldier and administrator: b. 28 Nov. 1862. He was educated at the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, joined the 8th Regiment in 1883 and in 1885 entered the Indian Staff Corps and joined the 1st Sikhs, Punjab Frontier. He became affiliated with the Indian Political Department in 1890 and served as po litical agent on various missions until 1901, when he became Revenue and Judicial Commis sioner at Beluchistan. He was an arbitrator on
the boundary between Persia and Afghanistan in Seistan and also served as British Commis sioner to the Seistan Mission in 1903-05. He was Foreign Secretary to the Government of India in 1911-14; was British Plenipotentiary for the treaty regarding Tibet between England, China and Tibet in 1913-14. In 1914-16 he was High Commissioner of Egypt. He was knighted in 1906.
McMAHON, James, American mathema tician: lb. County Armagh, Ireland, 22 April 1856. He was graduated at the University of Dublin in 1881. In 1897-1902 he was professor of science at Central College, Huntington, Ind., and in 1902-05 he was president of that insti tution. Since 1905 he has been president of the Illinois President Lincoln College.
MacMAHON, Marie Edme Patrick Mau rice de, Duke of Magenta and Marshal of France: b. Sully, Saone et Loire, 13 June 1808; d. near Montargis, 17 Oct. 1893. He was de scended from an Irish family that went into exile with James II, and was educated at the military college of Saint Cyr; served with dis tinction in Algeria; became brigadier-general in 1848; received command of a division during the Crimean War, and assisted in storming the Malakoff ; was appointed to the Senate in 1856; took part in the campaign of 1859 against Aus tria, and won the battle of Magenta by his prompt handling of the left wing and was re warded by a marshal's baton and a dukedom; and in 1864 became governor-general of Alge ria. At the outbreak of war between France and Germany (1870) MacMahon was placed in command of the First army corps, which was defeated at Weissenburg and Worth, and finally fell back upon Chalons. Here he rallied his forces, and proceeded northeastward to relieve Bazaine, who was besieged in Metz, hut he was pursued by the Germans, shut up by them in the town of Sedan and wounded in the battle be fore the final surrender with 81,000 men. After the armistice with Germany he was employed by the Versailles government in putting down the commune, and in 1873 was elected President of the republic, a position which he occupied until 1879. Consult Daudet, 'Souvenirs de la presi deuce du Marechal de MacMahon' (Paris 1880) ; 'Le marechal de MacMahon' (ib. 1883) ; LaFarge, (Histoire complete de MacMahon, marechal de France, duc de magenta' (ib. 1898).