| Description | Printed minutes containing matters laid before Council, the Royal Society's governing body of Fellows, with records of decisions taken.
Commencing with a list of Council members present: Francis Baily; Sir John Barrow; Samuel Hunter Christie; John Frederick Daniell; Bryan Donkin; Edward Forster; Thomas Galloway; Thomas Graham; John William Lubbock; Peter Mark Roget; Major Edward Sabine; Robert Bently Todd; the President, Spencer Joshua Alwyn Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton, in the chair.
Among matters discussed or noted: minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Letter from Captain H. D. Trotter, 12 Old Quebec Street, Portman Square, London, 17 February 1840, to Peter Mark Roget, full text entered into the minutes: he had been informed by Vernon Smith of the Society's provison of magnetic instruments for the Niger Expedition; officers would be willing to take instruction on magnetic observations, but it may be preferable to appoint an extra individual for that purpose; letter referred to the Committee of Physics. Loyal address to Queen Victoria, full text entered into the minutes; the President requested to present the address at the levee. Loyal address to H.R.H. Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, full text entered into the minutes. Grant of Philosophical Transactions requested on behalf of the Batavian Society of Experimental Philosophy at Rotterdam, granted. Letter from James Orchard Halliwell, 18 February 1840, to John William Lubbock, full text entered into the minutes: listing three sets of important manuscripts 'among a vast quantity of absolute rubbish'. Remaining copies of the Library Catalogue to be sold at two shillings and sixpence. On the death of Professor Blumenbach, a recommendation that three persons should be nominated for Foreign Membership. |