| 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: George Biddell Airy; Sir John Barrow; Thomas Bell; Samuel Hunter Christie; John Frederic Daniell; Bryan Donkin; William Henry Fitton; Sir John William Lubbock; Richard Phillips; Reverend Baden Powell; Peter Mark Roget; Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Sabine; Lieutenant-Colonel William Henry Sykes; Reverend Robert Willis; 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. The Astronomer Royal laid a report before Council from a special commitee considering improvements to chronometers, compensating for temperature, proposed by James Sweetman Eiffe, Robert Molyneux and Messrs. Parkinson and Frodsham, full text entered into the minutes: concluding that Mr. Eiffe is entitled to a Government reward, but the others are not, but declining to nominate an amount; resolved that the report be adopted and a copy transmitted to the Admiralty. Letter from John Moore, Manchester, 18 May 1841, to the President and Fellows, full text entered into the minutes: donating a portrait of John Dalton by Benjamin Faulkner on behalf of the commissioning committee, accepted and thanks returned by Council. Extract of a letter from Dr. Kane of Dublin, explaining his delay in publishing a paper based upon the donation of palladium by the Royal Society. Extract of a letter from M. Quetelet, Brussels, 21 May 1841, to John Frederic Daniell, on magnetic observations. Resolution of the Committee of Physics recommending that the Astronomer Royal procure instruments for observations on atmospheric electricity, agreed by Council. Resolved that the Treasurer pay £76 to Mr. Grubb, for instruments ordered by the Pacha of Egypt. Library Committee authorised to spend £50 on bookbinding. Letter from William Edward Shuckard, Royal Society, 10 May 1841, to Sir John William Lubbock, full text entered into the minutes: on library binding and re-arrangement of the Library, resolved that the Library Committee be authorised to spend £150. Application made by Edward Sabine on behalf of the Admiralty for 50 copies of a paper on terrestrial magnetism, granted. All books to be returned to the Library before 1 July. List of bills to be paid for printing. Dr. Royle applied on behalf of Dr. Spry of Bengal for insertion of his name on the Fellows list, being unable to attend in person, granted. |