en years of his life George was much occupied
with various International bodies, _e.g._ the International Geodetic
Association, the International Association of Academies, the
International Congress of Mathematicians, and the Seismological Congress.

With regard to the last named it was in consequence of George's report to
the Royal Society that the British Government joined the Congress. It
was however with the Geodetic Association that he was principally
connected.

Sir Joseph Larmor (_Nature_, December 12, 1912) gives the following
account of the origin of the Association:

The earliest of topographic surveys, the model which other national
surveys adopted and improved upon, was the Ordnance Survey of the
United Kingdom. But the great trigonometrical survey of India,
started nearly a century ago, and steadily carried on since that time
by officers of the Royal Engineers, is still the most important
contribution to the science of the figure of the earth, though the
vast geodetic operations in the United States are now following it
closely. The gravitational and other complexities incident on
surveying among the great mountain masses of the Himalayas early
demanded the highest mathematical assistance. The problems
originally attacked in India by Archdeacon Pratt were afterwards
virtually taken over by the Royal Society, and its secretary, Sir
George Stokes, of Cambridge, became from 1864 onwards the adviser and
referee of the survey as regards its scientific enterprises. On the
retirement of Sir George Stokes this position fell very largely to
Sir George Darwin, whose relations with the India Office on this and
other affairs remained close, and very highly appreciated, throughout
the rest of his life.

The results of the Indian survey have been of the highest importance
for the general science of geodesy. . . . It came to be felt that
closer co-operation between different countries was essential to
practical progress and to coordination of the work of overlapping
surveys.

For the further history of George's connection with the Association, I am
indebted to the Secretary, Dr. van d. Sande Bakhuyzen.

On the proposal of the Royal Society the British Government, after
having consulted the Director of the Ordnance Survey, in 1898,
resolved upon the adhesion of Great Britain to the International
Geodetic