| 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: Frederick Augustus Abel; William Carruthers; Major-General Henry Clerk; John Evans (Treasurer); Augustus George Vernon Harcourt; Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker; Thomas Henry Huxley; Charles William Siemens; John Simon; George Gabriel Stokes; Allen Thomson; Alexander William Williamson; the President, William Spottiswoode, in the chair.
Among matters discussed or noted: minutes of the last meeting read and approved. Death of James Clerk Maxwell. List of President, Officers and Members of Council to be recommended for election at the Anniversary Meeting, to serve in the ensuing year: to be communicated to the public papers by the Assistant Secretary. Nomination of auditors of the Treasurer's accounts. Adjudication of Royal Society Medals: the Copley Medal awarded to Rudolph Julius Emmanuel Clausius; a Royal Medal to William Henry Perkins; a Royal Medal to Andrew Crombie Ramsay; the Davy Medal awarded to M. Paul Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran for his discovery of Gallium. Draft letter from George Gabriel Stokes, Secretary, the Royal Society, Burlington House, November 1879, to Edward Wingfield, Assistant Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, full text entered into the minutes: on the proposals of Stanford Fleming relating to time reckoning and the establishment of a prime meridian; after discussion, he notes that although disposed to look favourably on the scheme, Council consider it had no chance of success unless all nations were in readiness to accept it. Draft letter from George Gabriel Stokes, November 1879, to the Rajah of Travancore, full text entered into the minutes: expressing appreciation of the Rajah's suppport of John Allan Broun's observations and recommending publication of a digest of them in the manner of the Greenwich meteorological observations. Treasurer brought a report on the Acton Estate, permission given to construct a new road to be called Newton Avenue at a cost of no more than £655 10s., with legal steps for the diversion of the existing footpath: the offer from the British Land Company for the slip of land for £100 to be accepted and Smith, Son and Oakley to take steps for giving access to land south of the railway. Thanks given to the North and South Western Junction Railway Company for assistance with the question of Bollo Bridge Road. The Reverend A.H. Dunn's offer to purchase land for £350 accepted. Smith, Son and Oakley authorised to arrange with Mr. Pugh for his continued tenancy at Acton at £4 per acre rent. Further action on a prospectus for land at Acton to be suspended for the present. President and Officers requested to ascertain whether the Government would assist in any steps necessary to preclude the Royal Society being brought within the Charitable Trusts Act of 1855. Letter from Mr. Eve, giving notice that he intends to quit if no rent reduction is available for Mablethorpe land: the reply to be that his lease runs until 1884, but a reduction of 10% is given in consideration of the inclemency of the season. £40 from the Scientific Relief Fund to be placed on the hands of Dr. Embleton, for an applicant. Dr, Handfield Jones allowed to take a copy of his paper on the effects of chloroform and ether. List of salaries and wages for Officers and staff of the Royal Society. Bill for payment for advertising. |