DE LA BECHT, (le lb bils11, Sir IIENRY Tli()1 Ns (1796-IS55). A dislingsuislied British gerdttgist. Ile was born near London, and educat ed at the military school at Great lle entered the army in 1811, but soon retired from public service to take up the study of science. For ,•venal years he traveled through England, l'ranee, and Switzerland. examining the geologi cal lormattions and gaining a of mineralogy and petrography, Ills re,earelies were the bases of fr:ittent eontrilottions to the Transactions of Geoloahat I Socic I y, in which lie displayed great scientific ability. Ile was the first to conceive the plan of making a geological neap of England, a to he commenced upon his Own responsibility; in 1832 the expense of this work was assumed by the Government, and lb. la Beebe was appointed director. Ile Labored for many to establish (lie survey on a successful ba,is. and lie was also v011eerned
in a geological and a school of mines in London. The list of his publications n ant' books recognized as standard works of ref•renee and numerous papers con trd lite.] to scientific journals; among the more important ire the following: Vanua! of Geology (1';311 ; ‘•arch,•S in Theory! ica I Geology .3 1) port on I he I; eoloa a of l'orn pra /I, I role, uud est Son? erset ( 1839) t he I'or'malio g of the hocks of South Wales ( 1i3-111); lid ljo Oirp/110 IniS1 /To t* 1)0 la lleche t as ' presith lit of the of London in 1'317. and in 1855 lie received the \\ ollastonHoch) front the same society. His .listinguished s-•vi•es were also awarded by the bestowal of knighthood :lid bv numerous marks • f honor from foreign societies.