| 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 James Allman; George Busk; Robert Bellamy Clifton; Heinrich Debus; Peter Martin Duncan; George Carey Foster; Francis Galton; Thomas Archer Hirst; Sir John Lubbock; William Hallowes Miller; William Sharpey; George Gabriel Stokes; Isaac Todhunter; Sir Charles Wheatstone; the President, George Biddell Airy, in the chair.
Among matters discussed or noted: minutes of the last meeting read and approved. Letter from the Secretary of State for the Home Department, stating H.M. Queen Victoria's pleasure at receiving the congratulatory address. Letter from Thomas Wolley, Admiralty, 2 March 1872, to the Secretary of the Royal Society, full text entered into the minutes: on the proposed expedition to explore the deep sea, a ship will be fitted out for a circumnavigation, to leave towards the end of the year; the Royal Society should make recommendations on equipment and civilian scientific staff; the letter referred to a committee for report to Council. Council considered the letter of Dr. Hooker presented at the last meeting: George Busk and Francis Galton moved that Fellowship candidates' certificates should be limited to [blank in minutes] signatures, three of which should be personally acquainted with the candidate; motion defeated and further consideration deferred. Professor Foster and Mr.Galton submitted motions on the conduct of Government Grant Committee meetings, some matters referred to the Government Grant Committee. Lists received from members of the Melbourne Telescope Committee for distribution of their publication, approved. The cost of three spectroscopes by Messrs. Grubb, fitted to the Royal Society's telescope now with William Huggins, to be paid for by the Society and the instruments lent to Huggins. Letter from Lord Dufferin requesting the loan of portraits of Sir Robert Southwell and Sir Hans Sloane for exhibition in Dublin, granted. Resolutions on grants of Proceedings and the Catalogue of Scientific Publications, to various institutions, including on the recommendation of the Library Committee. Letter from A. Quetelet, Brussels, 15 February 1872, to the Secretary of the Royal Society, full text [in French] entered into the minutes: requesting that the Royal Society send representation to centenary celebrations of the Belgian Academy. Applications for the loan of woodblocks, including from John Tyndall. Approval of recommendations on grants from the Scientific Relief Fund, and the Fund balance to be invested on consols. |