“ In 1874 he accompanied the Arctic expedition under Sir George Nares as far as Greenland. In later years Sir Clements Markham travelled extensively in western Asia and the United States. In 1855 he became a clerk in the Board of Control. From 1867–1877 he was in charge of the geographical department of the Indian Office. He was secretary to the Hakluyt Society from 1858–1887, and became its president in 1890. From 1863–1888 he acted as secretary to the Royal Geographical Society, and on his retirement received the society’s gold medal for his distinguished services to geography. ”

“ He was elected president of the same society in 1893, and retained office for the unprecedented period of twelve years, taking an active share in the work of the society and in increasing its usefulness in various directions. ”

“ He entered the navy in 1844, became midshipman in 1846, and passed for a lieutenant in 1851. In 1850–1851 he served on the Franklin search expedition in the Arctic regions, under Captain Austin. He retired from the navy in 1852, and in 1852–1854 travelled in Peru and the forests of the eastern Andes. He visited South America again in 1860–1861, in order to arrange for the introduction of the cinchona plant into India, a service of the highest value to humanity. ”