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without previous forewarning, intelligence reached us of Henry Smith's death, after a brief but singularly painful illness in 1883.
We all looked to General, afterwards Sir Richard, Strachey 0817-1908) to succeed him, which he did. He too has died only two days before I write these lines. A prominent place ought to be given to him in my " Memories, " for we have been connected in our pursuits very frequently and in very different ways. He was one of the hardest and most unobtrusive of workers, who exercised a powerful influence in many great matters, especially in India, but shrank from publicity and ostentation. Like most master minds, he had a characteristic way of looking at things that is hard to describe. It often led to his taking an unpopular side in discussions, though by treating the question very clearly from his own point of view he caused his opinion to be at last accepted. He has been a steadfast friend to me throughout my life. I cannot refrain from quoting the official letter he wrote as Chairman of the Meteorological Council, when I resigned my seat, it is so gracefully and kindly expressed.
~~ METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE May 9, 1901
"DEAR MR. GALTON,-The new body of Directors of the Office held their first meeting on Wednesday, 24th April. In the letter from the Royal Society
notifying their appointment, there was a paragraph intimating that the resignation of your seat on the Council had been accepted.
" It was only natural that the first act of the new body should be to recall the long period during which you have occupied a seat either on the original
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