| 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: William Thomas Brande; Samuel Hunter Christie; John Frederic Daniell; William Henry Fitton; William Lawrence; Sir John Wiliam Lubbock; William Haseldine Pepys; Peter Mark Roget; Lieutenant-Colonel William Henry Sykes; Charles Wheatstone; 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. Application from Signor Montcelli of the Royal Academy of Naples for volumes of the Philosophical Transactions, granted. The Secretary reported that five casks of seal skins from HMS Erebus had been forwarded to the British Museum under the same conditions as other Antarctic specimens. Note from Baron Brunnow, Ashburnham House, 11 August 1842, to the Marqess of Northampton, full text entered into the minutes: on the continuation of magnetic observations in Russia. Resolutions referring to the Committee of Astronomy, the Committee of Botany and Vegetable Physiology and the Committee of Zoology and Animal Physiology for the award of Royal Medals in 1842. Resolution that all Scientific Committees consider and report on candidates for the Copley Medal. Resolved that the Committee of Physics report on any useful discovery or improvements worthy of the Rumford Medal. Letter from William Shuckard, Royal Society Library, to Sir John William Lubbock, full text entered into the minutes: on defects to the various copies of the Philosophical Transactions and the lack of a standard set, based upon the collations of Sir James South; South declined to give Shuckard access to his notes but Shuckard inferred that he would agree to a request from Council on condition that these were printed; also on books supplied by Bailliere, Library rearrangement, and on interesting volumes omitted from the catalogue. Resolutions in response to Shuckard's letter. Letter from Charles Few, Covent Garden, 1 September 1842, to Sir John William Lubbock, full text entered into the minutes: requesting a cheque for £100 for the Foundling Hospital with other expenses arising from Sir Clifton Winteringham's bequest, authorised. The Committee of Physics reported that revised instructions for magnetic and meteorological observation should be circulated, agreed by Council. Mr. Daniell applied for 100 copies of his last paper, and Mr. Bowerbank for 50 copies of his, permissions granted. List of President, Officers and Members of Council, recommended to the Royal Society for election at the Anniversary Meeting, to serve during the ensuing year. |