branches of chemistry and mineralogy in the Summer school, this being the pioneer school of its kind.
He held the professorship of chemistry in the United States naval academy, Annapolis, Maryland, 1874-86, lecturing at St. John's college in the same town; and he was chemist of the United States torpedo station and War college, Newport, Rhode Island, from 1886-92. He was inducted into the chair of chemistry, at Columbian university, Washington, District of Columbia, in 1892, which professorship he still holds. He has delivered courses of lectures before the Lowell institute of Boston, and the Peabody institute of Baltimore, and many special addresses elsewhere. He was dean of the Corcoran scientific school, 1892-98, and dean of the school of Graduate Studies of Columbian university, 1890-1902, and is now chairman of the committee on Higher Degrees of the George Washington university. He has been secretary of the United States Naval institute; president of the Washington Chemical Society; president of the American Chemical Society; vice-president of the Chemical section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and fellow of the London and Berlin Chemical Societies. He rendered a notable public service as assay commissioner under Presidents Arthur, Cleveland and Harrison, and as expert special agent of the United States Census in charge of chemical industries, in 1900; and in 1898 acted as vice-president on the Board of Visitors of the United States naval academy at Annapolis, Maryland, where he organized a mineral cabinet. He introduced into the naval service scientific methods of inspection of supplies, especially of the steel for guns and ships. Another plan suggested by Professor Munroe which proved very useful, was the establishment of a post-graduate course of study for naval officers at the Smithsonian Institution.
He took out in 1890 a patent on smokeless powder, presenting the use of this invention to the United States government; and he organized at Newport the first government powder factory. His works show him to be an expert on the subject of explosives. His books on this theme are: "Chemistry and Explosives" (1888); "A Catechism of Explosives" (1888); and numerous articles on this topic in the encyclopedias. He has published many notes and papers on different subjects in chemistry.
Professor Munroe was made a Commandant of the Order of
