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Davidson (GEORGE an American astronomer)

GEORGE, an American astronomer; born in Nottingham, Eng- DAVIES land, May 9, 1825; came to the United States in 1832; graduated at the Central High School, Philadelphia, in 1845; and joined the United States Coast Survey.

While in this service he was chief engineer of a party which surveyed a ship-canal route across the Isthmus of Darien. He also made a geographical survey of the coast of Alaska in 1867.

In 1874 he had .charge of the party which went from the United States to rge Japan to make observations on the transit of Venus. He traveled extensively in Egypt, China, India, and Europe, 1877-1884 he was Regent of the Unifor purposes of scientific study. From versity of California, and for many years was President of the California on Academy of Sciences. He retired from the Coast Survey, after 50 years of distinguished service, in 1895, and became Professor of Geography in the University of California. He is the author of numerous works on irrigation, harbor and river improvements, "Francis Drake" (1908), etc. He died in 1911.