| Description | Held on VE day at the Royal Society
Present; Sir Thomas Merton in the chair, Sir Alfred Egerton, Secretary to the Royal Society; Dr C R Harington; Professor J B S Haldane; Professor I M Heilbron; Dr E J Salisbury
1. ' Decided to use the income of the Johnstone and Lawrence Funds as a single amalgamated fund fo B purposes. Further, to use the income of the Joule and Macjinnon Funds as a single fund for A purposes, and the Moseley Fund for B purposes.
2. The Browne, Sorby, Gassiot, Rosse, Tyndall, Warren and Smithson Funds would hae to be used for the purposes and under the conditions governed by the terms of the Will, and there was no need to make any special recommendations.
3. The Committee recommended however that the regulations governing the use of Royal Society funds in accordance with earlier Council minutes be rescinded, otherwise than are consequential on the terms of the wills, or had been agreed with outside bodies (eg Tyndall, Sorby, and Smithson Funds).
4. The Treasurer pointed out that of the £9885 estimated income from the unrestricted funds, viz. Forsyth, Dewrance, Donation, Messel, Yarrow Funds, only about £4000coulc safely be free for employment for uses other than for General Purposes. it was agreed that it would be necessary to keep sufficient in hand for the important commitments which come under Gereal Purposes - eg Soirees, Discussions etc.
5. Attention was called to certain funds such as the Darwin Fund and the Handley Fund which should be used to meet the deficits of other Medal Funds; the Scott and the Tomes funds, the incomes iof which are so small that they are best used when sufficient time has elapsed for a reasonable sum to have accumuloated.
6. It was agreed that it was suitable to use the income of the Mond Fund to meet the increase in the funds needed for the Library and the staffing of the Library which is likely to become a source of increased expenditure.
7. It was generally agreed that the polilcy of the Royal Society in regard to the use of its funds for purposes of encouraging research and promoting natural knowledge, should be such that they should be used as far as possible for objects which would not be a direct responsibility of the Government or or the universities. The Committee deemed it to be particularly desirable that the Royal Society should encourage new research projects which would not be the direct concern of the universities, because of no obvious relation to their teaching activities, but through which the Royal Society could 'direct research into special fields' or 'fill in the gaps' in such subjects of research as were not receiving due attention. Even in cases in which a large expenditure might be necessary, it would be helpful if the Royal Society were to make a token grant towards the object in view. In such cases, it was also agreed that it was not desirable to continue the support beyond a limited term of years. If the project became an established one, it should be supported by a university or other suitable authority.
8. It was agreed that the Society could quite suitably support the work of an otherwise highly qualified reserch worker who was, through disablement, prevented from pursuing a normal university career, or from carrying out research in industry or the government service.
9. The Question of the desirability of appointing research professors was discussed and it was agreed that only in very special and rare cases was such a policy desirable and in no case where the appointment would relieve the university of its normal responsibilities.
10. It was also felt that the appointment of research Fellowhsips to senior research men was generally desirable; it was preferable to encourage provision of more posts combining research and teaching. On the other hand, it was desirable to make funds avaiable for young research men of exceptional merit whose grants were at an end and whose work could be completed if funds were provided for a further short period (say) of two years.
11. It waas further decided that the Society could well afford in suitable cases to assis the work of those, particularly its own Fellows, who, through retirement, were deprived of facilities to carry on reserches although they might be fully able otherwise to do effective and important work.
12. The importance of the provision of funds was stressed to enable research workers to travel to the Dominions and Colonies and particularly to enable young men from the laboratories of the Doominions and Colonies to come to work in this country. While it was agreed that this was a necessity which should be met by the establishment of a Fund specially designed to meet the need, it was considered that the Society should do as much as possible to being about the desired closer contact and provide funds for the purpose on suitable occasions.
13. It was also agreed, in this connexion, that it was desirable to provide funds to encourage men form abroad to come to this country for exchange of views and discussions, and that Sectional Committees might be encouraged to make recommendations to Council in regard to such visits and discussions, and to apply for funds for such. ' |