| 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: Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie; Arthur Cayley; John Evans; Daniel Hanbury; Thomas Henry Huxley; Nevil Story Maskelyne; James Clerk Maxwell; Charles Watkins Merrifield; Joseph Prestwich; Andrew Crombie Ramsay; Rear-Admiral George Henry Richards; George Rolleston; William Sharpey; Francis Sibson; William Spottiswoode; George Gabriel Stokes; General Richard Strachey; Alexander William Williamson; the President, Joseph Dalton Hooker, in the chair.
Among matters discussed or noted: minutes of the last meeting read and approved. Deaths of Sir William Fairbairn, Robert Edmond Grant and Sir John Rennie. The Foreign Secretary reported on the deaths of Anders Angsrom, Jean Baptiste Leonce, Elie de Beaumont and Count Gustav le Doucet Pontecouloant, noting that there were now eight vacancies for Foreign Members. The President mentioned receiving letters from the naturalists appointed to Kergeulen's Land and Rodriguez, to be laid before the Naturalists' Committee. Letter from Joseph Dalton Hooker, President, the Royal Society, Burlington House, 18 September 1874, to William Law, Secretary of the Treasury, full text entered into the minutes: referencing statements giving evidence of the Society's right to a permanent home by Royal grant. Letter from William Law, Treasury Chambers, 27 October 1874, to the President of the Royal Society, full text entered into the minutes: stating that the Royal Society occupied Burlington House apartments on the same terms as it did Somerset House, the Lords Commissioners simply pointing out that in the event of destruction by fire, no rebuilding could be done without a vote of funds from Parliament. Adjudication of medals discussed and adjourned to the next meeting. Nomination of Fellows for election to next year's Council discussed and adjourned, with a list of retiring members. Report of the committee to consider the Gilchrist Educational Trust communication gave their opinion on the administration of scientific fellowships, full text entered into the minutes. Treasurer's reports on the Handley Bequest and on the Ronalds Bequest. Letter from Charles F. Robinson, 65 Basinghall Street, London, 2 October 1874, to the Royal Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, full text entered into the minutes: enclosing a copy of the will of Henry Dircks, noting bequests to learned societies, but stating that he is unable to comply with the will except under direction of the Court of Chancery, for reasons he will explain to the Society's solicitor. Letter from Few and Company, Covent Garden, 22 October 1874, to Walter White, full text entered into the minutes: explaining the circumstances of Henry Dircks' bankruptcies and their impact on his proposed bequest to the Royal Society. The Treasurer reported on the Lawson Bequest, the interest of which was temporarily applied to the Donation Fund, to be merged with the Society's General Funds. Letter from T.V. Lister, Foreign Office, 22 September 1874, to the Secretary of the Royal Society, full text entered into the minutes: on the will of Giralamo Ponti of Milan, bequeathing a portion of his property to 'the Academy of Science of London' and relatives intending to dispute the will. Letter from Louis Mallet, India Office, Westminster, 19 June 1874, to the Secretary of the Royal Society, full text entered into the minutes: pendulum observations initiated by the Indian Government and commenced by Captain Basevi under the supervision of Colonel J.T. Walker, have been completed by Captain Heaviside; the Marquis of Salisbury gives his thanks and returns the instruments lent by the Society, together with other appliances; these accepted by Professor Stokes during recess. Letter from the India Office acknowledging receipt of the Treasurer's cheque for the unexpended balance on Indian dredging. The President reported on a letter addressed to the Treasury, recommending a grant in aid of Sub-Wealden boring. Letter from J. Winter Jones, British Museum, 25 June 1874, to Thomas Henry Huxley, Secretary of the Royal Society, full text entered into the minutes: he has laid before the Trustees the letter requesting advice on the destination of the Brixham Cave antiquities; they accept that any lithological specimens not required by the national collections might be sent to the Torquay Museum of Natural History and that flints and hammer stones will reside at the Christy Collection for the present; giving recommendatins on the display of flints with duplicate bone and teeth specimens at the Christy. The Treasurer reported on the return of instruments deposited at Kew. The Government Grant account for 1873-1874 had been sent to the Treasury. Mr. Lowthian Bell was given an extension of time for admission to the Fellowship. Leave granted for the reprinting of papers from the Society's journals. Dr. J.E. Gray offered a collection of letters relating to the election of a Secretary in 1847, accepted. Mr. Evans gave notice that he would move a resolution on an alteration to the Statutes. List of bills for payment for printing, lithography, and for other expenses. |