Robert Logan Jack, Geologist in China

摘要

Robert Logan Jack (1845-1921), born in Scotland, worked on the Geological Survey of Scotland between 1867 and 1876. In 1876 he was appointed Geological Surveyor for North Queensland, Australia, becoming Government Geologist for all of Queensland in 1879. Until 1899 he carried out important work in many parts of Queensland, mainly concerned with economic mineral deposits, particularly coal, gold and underground water. In 1899 he resigned to work for an English mining company examining the metalliferous deposits of Sichuan, China. Jack arrived in China when there was considerable internal disturbance, but travelled by boat from Shanghai to Ciiongqing and thence to Chengdu which he made his headquarters. From Chengdu Jack, his son R. Lockhart Jack, J. F. Morris, interpreter Chung Chui Lin and party made several expeditions to examine mineral properties, including a very arduous one north to Wong-Shan Kan Mines, a round trip of 1200kms. They then travelled southwest to examine the Maha mines near Mien-ning, although travel was again difficult. When the Boxer Rebellion conditions made return to Chengdu unwise, Jack and party set out to travel to Burma, a journey of some 1500 kms through some very difficult and little known country. Jack's geological work in China, like his Australian work, was marked by careful observation and analysis and was in part incorporated.