| 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: William Grylls Adams; John Ball; Thomas Lauder Brunton; Michael Foster; Francis Galton; Thomas Henry Huxley; Edwin Ray Lankester; Joseph Lister; Joseph Prestwich; Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, the Marquis of Salisbury; Osbert Salvin; Warington Wilkinson Smyth; George Gabriel Stokes; Alexander William Williamson; the Treasurer, John Evans, in the chair.
Council summoned following the death of the President of the Royal Society, William Spottiswoode, 27 June, to elect a successor to serve until 30 November: Thomas Henry Huxley appointed President; Huxley signed the declaration in lieu of the oath and took the chair. Among other matters discussed or noted: minutes of the last meeting read and approved. Appointment of Vice-Presidents. The Secretary announced the death of the past-President Sir Edward Sabine. The Treasurer proposed an expression of sympathy to the Spottiswoode family, full text entered into the minutes. Letter from Leonard Courteney, Treasury Chambers, 29 June 1883, to George Gabriel Stokes, full text entered into the minutes: expressing the Lords Commissioners regrets on the death of William Spottiswoode; copies of both Council's resolution and Courteney's letter to be forwarded to Mrs. Spottiswoode and family. Resolution passed at the Annual General Meeting of the Society of Arts, 27 June 1883, full text entered into the minutes: on the death of William Spottiswoode. Letter from the Treasury relating to Armagh Observatory: a committee formed to consider this and the President empowered to communicate the report to the Treasury, if received in advance of the next Council meeting. Letter from the War Office enclosing a report by Colonel Heriot Maitland on proposed Nile Delta borings: the sum of £150 would be available on demand and the War Office requested to notify Maitland by telegraph that works must not be delayed by the rise of the Nile; the President to communicate with the War Office in person. Letters from the Eclipse Expedition tabled, expenditure had exceeded the £500 allowed: the Treasurer authorised to pay additional sums. Reduction of the General Account and borrowing explained by the Treasurer and approved. Urgent application for £30 aid from the Scientific Relief Fund, via the Linnean Society, authorised: Mr. J. Ball gave notice that he would propose an increase in membership of the Scientific Relief Committee, in consequence of not being able to secure a quorum. Leave granted to copy papers from the archives and to have additional 250 copies of printed papers. List of bills for payment. |