DE LA. BECHE, SIR HENRY THOMAS, an eminent geologist. He was the only son of Colonel Thomas de la Beebe of Balsa Hall, Jamaica, and repreaented the old family of De la Beebe, who lived at Alilworth, near Reading, in the 13th and 14th centuries. Sir Henry was born near London in 1796. He went to Jamaica when young, where his father died, and whilst returning to Europe his mother and her young son anffered shipwreck. On reaching England they lived at Charmouth and Lyme Regis, where the young De la Beebe seems to have acquired his first taste for geology. He was educated at the military school at Great Marlow, which was afterwards removed to Sandhurst. He entered the army in 1814. In 1817 be became a Follow of the Geological Society ; ho afterwards became Secretary and Foreign Secretary of this society, and eventually, in 1847, President. In 1818 ho married. Before this event he had begun to investigate the geology of Devon, Dorset, and Pembrokeshire; he now travelled on the continent, and dwelt for some time in Switzerland. Here in 1820 ho produced one of his earliest scientific papers, 'On the tempe rature and depth of the Lake of Geneva.' This was first published in the 'Bibliotheque Universelle,' and afterwarda in the 'Edinburgh Philosophical Journal' The researches which led to the publication of this paper exercised an important influence on all his subaequent career. He subsequently returned to England, and renewed his labours on the geology of Wales and Devonshire. In conjunction with the Rev. Mr. Conybeare, now the Dean of Llaudaff, be first made known the singular form of the Plesiosaurus. This was done in a paper published in 1823 in the Transactions of the Geological Society,' and entitled On the Discovery of a new fossil animal, forming a link between the lethyottanrua and Crocodile.' In 1824 Mr. de la Beebe visited his paternal estates in Jamaica. Hera he made himself remarkable for attempting to introduce ameliorations in the condition of the slave. He suffered considerably from the Act of Emancipation. Whilst in Jamaica he lost no opportunity of pur suing his favourite science, and a paper published in 1826 in the 'Transactions of the Geological Society,' on the 'Geology of Jamaica,' V711.3 the result. Having returned to England, his papers on the geology of Dorset, Devon, and Wales became very numerous, besides others on the general principles of geological enquiry. Such were his papers on the ' Classification of European Rocks," On the Excavation of Valleys,' On the Geographical Distribution of Organic Remains,' On the Formation of Extensive Conglomerate and Gravel Deposits,' and many others. In 1831 he published his 'Geological Manual, which went through several editions and was translated into French and German soon after its appearance in England. In this year he also projected a plan of forming a geological map of England, in which all the details of the various formations should be accurately laid down. He began this gigantic undertaking on his own responsibility,
and commenced a map of Cornwall. This resulted in the government instituting the Geological Survey, at the head of which he was placed. Whilst working out his plans, he became possessed of a large col lection of specimens of rocks and mineral substancee used in the arts. This collection served as the nucleus of the Museum of Practical Geology, which was at first deposited in a house in Craig's Court. In 1834 he published Researches in Theoretical Geology,' and in 1835, ' How to Observe Geology.' In 1845 the Geological Survey and Museum of Practical Geology were united, and the building in Jermyu Street, Westminster, erected for the reception of the rapidly increasing collection of the latter. Sir Henry succeeded in attracting to this institution a number of ardent young men of science, amongst whom we May mention the late Professor E. Forbes, and through their labours this institution rapidly became one of the most important scientific bodies in the country. In 1851 courses of lectures were given by the various members of the corps, and under the name of the Government School of Mines, they are carried on with increasing vigour and usefulness under the presidency of Sir Henry's successor, Sir Roderick Murchison.
For several years previous to his death Sir Henry had suffered from a gradually increasing paralytic disorder, which, although it prevented him using his limbs, left his fine intellect almost unimpaired. Day after day it was evident that his frame became feebler, but his atten tion to the interests of the school be had founded did not diminish, and till within two daye of his death he performed the active duties of his responsible position. He died on the 11th of April 1855.
The distinguishing feature of Sir Henry's mind was its eminently practical character. The establishment of the Geological Survey and the School of Minea was a proof of this. Wherever his knowledge could he made available for practical purposes, his services were at the command of the public. Thus we find him becoming a member of the Health of Towns Commission and also of the Commission of Sewers. He was chairman of one of the juries of tho Great Exhibition in 1851. With Sir Charles Barry he formed one of a committee to select building-stone for the New Houses of Parliament. He was associated with Dr. Lyon Playfair in reporting to tho government on the coals suited to the steam-navy, also with Dr. Playfair and Mr. Smyth in reporting on tho gases and explosions in collieries. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1819, iu 1848 he had con ferred on him the honour of knighthood, and in 1853 he was elected a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of Paris.