Edmund P. Ellis retired March 31, 1940, after 49 years of active service. His genial personality and paternal advice will be missed by his many associates.

He was born in this city March 30, 1870, and is one of the comparatively few native Washingtonians in the Survey. Educated in the Baltimore City College, and George Washington University, he entered the Coast and Geodetic Survey March 11, 1891, as cartographer in the Division of Hydrography and Topography, saw service on the Ship BACHE, was assistant chief of the section of field records for 20 years, and at the time of his retirement was chief of the Nautical Chart Section. Many of the present cartographic force received their early training under his wise but exacting direction.

Commissioned Captain in the Army at the entrance of the United States in the World War, he served from September 1917 to March 1919, with the 29th Engineers, one of the first of the American Expeditionary Force to see duty in France. His knowledge of map drafting served him well, for he was in charge of the training of draftsmen at the Langres U. S. Army Base Printing Plant, and later in charge of map drafting at the Second Army Headquarters at Toul.

He was chairman of the committee on drafting equipment and supplies of the Federal specification executive committee until retirement, and his practical knowledge of drafting needs resulted in the adoption of higher standards for such materials. He invented a pen- and pencil-testing device, now used by manufacturers, and by the Government in making awards, and designed and drew standard letters used for all titles and much of the general lettering on all lithographic Coast and Geodetic Survey charts for 30 years.

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C&GS Bulletin, 3/31/1940