The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Beche, Henry de la

BECHE, bāsh, Sir Henry de la, English geologist: b. 1796; d. 1855. He founded the geological survey of Great Britain, which was soon undertaken by the government, De la Beche being appointed director-general. He also founded the Jermyn Street Museum of Economic or Practical Geology, and the School of Mines. His principal works are ‘Geology of Jamaica’; ‘Classification of European Rocks’; ‘Geological Manual’; ‘Researches in Theoretical Geology’; ‘Geology of Cornwall, Devon, and West Somerset,’ etc.