“ He was educated at the École Polytechnique, and entered the government service as a mining engineer. In 1858 he was appointed traffic manager to the Compagnie de chemins de fer du Midi, a post in which he gave proof of his remarkable talent for organization, and in 1862 returned to the engineering service (in which he attained in 1886 the rank of inspector-general) . ”

“ In November 1898 he once more became minister of war in the Dupuy cabinet, but resigned office on 6th May 1899. He has published, besides the works already mentioned, Traité de mécanique rationnelle (1858) ; De l’analyse infinitésimale (1860, revised ed., 1881) ; Des pentes économiques en chemin de fer (1861) ; Emploi des eaux d’égout en agriculture (1869) ; Principes de l’assainissement des villes and Traité d’assainissement industriel (1870) ; Essai sur la philosophie des sciences (1896) ; La Question d’Égypte (1905) ”