| 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 Risdon Bennett; Thomas George Bonney; Heinrich Debus; Alexander John Ellis; John Evans (Treasurer); Michael Foster; Thomas Archer Hirst; Thomas Henry Huxley; Daniel Oliver; Henry Enfield Roscoe; Warington Wilkinson Smyth; Henry Tibbats Stainton; George Gabriel Stokes; Edward James Stone; Alexander William Williamson; the President, William Spottiswoode, in the chair.
Among matters discussed or noted: minutes of the last meeting read and approved. Deaths of Edward William Binney and Decimus Burton. Letter from William Spottiswoode, the Royal Society, Burlington House, 29 December 1881, to Frederick Cavendish, full text entered into the minutes: on the future of the Meteorological Council, enclosing a copy of the Council's statement, expressing the hope that its constitution should remain unchanged and noting the health difficulties of Warren de La Rue. With a reply, letter from R.R.W. Lingen, Treasury Chambers, 31 December 1881, to William Spottiswoode, full text entered into the minutes: expressing pleasure at the Society's conclusions with regard to the continuation of the Meteorological Council, applying a grant of £15,300 for the purpose in 1882-1883. Letter from R.R.W. Lingen, Treasury Chambers, 116 Victoria Street, 16 December 1881, to the President of the Royal Society, full text entered into the minutes: on the proposed establishment of circumpolar observatories, the Treasury is not convinced by the arguments, but requests the opinion of Council of the Royal Society on a station at Fort Simpson before responding to Lord Granville's enquiry. Letter from R.H. Scott, Meteorological Office, 116 Victoria Street, 16 December 1881, to the Secretary of the Treasury, full text entered into the minutes: on the scheme for circumpolar observatories and their chances for success, suggesting Fort Simpson on the Mackenzie River as a possible location, the costs of which might be estimated by the Hudson's Bay Company. These and other items of correspondence were considered and referred to a committee set up for the purpose. Letter from J.F.D. Donnelly, Science and Art Department, London, 14 January 1882, to the Secretaries, Royal Society, Burlington House, full text entered into the minutes: enclosing letters on the Commission for the Determination of the Unit of Electrical Resistance, asking if further delegates should be nominated to committees referred to; Council nominate Fleeming Jenkin, Dr. Hopkinson, Mr. Preece and Professor Ayrton. Correspondence on Major John Herschels' pendulum observations, full text entered into the minutes: from Lord Enfield, India Office; the Government of India; and Louis Mallet, India Office, 23 August-31 October 1881. Letter from the Treasury, explaining the arrangements made to publish the Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of HMS Challenger, and suggesting that the Royal Society might set up a small advisory committee, approved. Authority given to the Soiree Committee to proceed with arrangements for the receptions and soirees, with £100 to defray expenses. Minutes of the Library Committee were read, reporting progress on the new library catalogue, recommending the purchase of a £50 bookcase for rare books, and noting arrangements for a gratuity to the storeman, grants of journals and permissions to transcribe letters. Leave granted for electrotypes of illustrations and the use of copper plates. Letter from R.H. Scott referring to the Royal Society's standard barometer, the Treasurer authorised to pay Negretti and Zambra's bill for £20 and the Kew Committee asked to refer large bills to Council in future. List of bills for payment, for lithography and for coals. |