| 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; Benjamin Collins Brodie; George Busk; Robert Bellamy Clifton; James Fergusson; Thomas Archer Hirst; Joseph Dalton Hooker; Thomas Henry Huxley; William Hallowes Miller; Joseph Prestwich; Rear-Admiral George Henry Richards; Henry Enfield Roscoe; Philip Lutley Sclater; William Sharpey; Francis Sibson; George Gabriel Stokes; Major-General Richard Strachey; Isaac Todhunter; Sir Charles Wheatstone; the President, Sir George Biddell Airy, in the chair; followed by William Spottiswoode, Treasurer and Vice-President, in the chair.
Among matters discussed or noted: minutes of the last meeting read and approved. Professor Roscoe and General Strachey made and subscribed to the declaration in lieu of the oath. Deaths reported of Professor Macquorn Rankine and Archibald Smith. Leave granted to Mr. Smee to copy his paper on coagulation of the blood. The Tresaurer reported on the safe return of portraits of Sir Hans Sloane and Sir Robert Southwell from Dublin. Application from Mr. Sterling of the Dudley Observatory, Albany, for a copy of the Great Melbourne Telescope correspondence acceded to. Next steps in consequence of the President's decision to step down was discussed and adjourned. Report of the House Committee, full text entered into the minutes: on progress of fitting the Society's new rooms at Burlington House, including instruments at Kew Observatory. Letter from Lord Granville, Foreign Office, 3 January 1873, to Count Wolkenstein, full text entered into the minutes: on British co-operation in the proposed self-registering tide gauge at Heliogoland, the conclusion has been reached that although the scientific experiments would be interesting, the cost could not be justified by H.M. Government. Letter from Colonel Walker suggesting that a telescope and spectroscope might be sent to Mr. Hennessey for astronomical work near the Himalayas: the reply to be that he should approach the Indian Government, the Royal Society could not supply instruments. The Treasurer reported that he had commissioned a report on the condition and value of the Acton Estate, following the tenant at Acton, Mr. Pugh, having applied for a renewal of the lease. Letter from D.Smith, Son and Oakley, 10 Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, 13 December 1872, to Walter White, Royal Society, Burlington House, full text entered into the minutes: on the value and condition of the Acton land. Letter from J.P. Gassiot, Clapham Common, Surrey, 24 December 1872, to William Spottiswoode, full text entered into the minutes: suggesting that the time had come to put up notices at Acton offering land to let for building purposes and that a committee should be set up to consider reletting the Acton Estate. Letter from H. Reeve, Privy Council Office, 23 December 1872, to William Spottiswoode: Reeve and the Bishop of Lincoln, as Handley Trustees, have filed in Chancery for directions on fulfilment of the wishes of the testator; meanwhile he outlines a plan for the upkeep of the house at Bracknell, during litigation; the letter forwarded to Few and Company. Letter from Few and Company regarding the Fairchild Trust: resolved that it was desirable to relieve the Society of the Trust and that application should be made to the Charity Commissioners. Reappointment of the Soiree Committee. Letter from the Reverend A.H. Dunn Minister of All Saints Acton, referred to the Acton Estate Committee. Transfer of stock of the Greenwich Observations to the Observatory. |