| Description | Printed minutes containing matters laid before Council, the Royal Society's governing body of Fellows, with records of decisions taken. Individual minutes are numbered.
Commencing with a list of Council members present: William Bateson; William Thomas Blanford; Hugh Longbourne Callendar; Harold Bailey Dixon; Michael Foster (Secretary); George Carey Foster; John Wesley Judd; Alfred Bray Kempe (Treasurer); Joseph Larmor (Secretary); George Downing Liveing; Augustus Edward Hough Love; Henry Alexander Miers; Edward Albert Schafer; Thomas Edward Thorpe (Foreign Secretary); Thomas Henry Tizard; Herbert Hall Turner; Sir John Wolfe Barry; the President, Sir William Huggins, in the chair. The Assistant Secretary [Robert Harrison] attended.
Among matters discussed or noted:
1. Minutes of the previous meeting read and approved.
2. Deaths of Dr. Penrose and Mr. A. C. Selwyn: Sir Norman Lockyer and Mr. W. Whitaker to write the respective Obituary Notices.
3. Report of a meeting of the Joint Committee of the Royal Society and the University of Cambridge for a Stokes Memorial in Westminster Abbey: the Dean of Westminster had given permission for a portrait medallion to be placed, designed by Hamo Thorneycroft. A circular to possible subscribers would be sent out.
4. Report of the Soiree Committee recommending arrangements for the annual soirees and for a possible dinner to be held in Summer if the attendance of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales could be arranged. With the full text of correspondence from Arthur Bigge, York House, St. James's Palace, 5 and 17 March 1903, to Sir Michael Foster: motions on the proposed dinner, to be held if the Prince could attend on any day before 26 June.
5. Sir Michael Foster reported on a meeting of the Royal Society's International Association of Academies Committee, discussing international initiatives requiring State assistance: a resolution to be presented to the International Association, stating that proposals should be considered by them before any actions are taken.
6. The attention of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to be drawn to the Society's position that any plan of working from the forthcoming International Congress of Seismology should be approved by the International Association of Academies.
7. Discussion of a motion by Dr. Blanford, resolved to the effect that the President may invite foreign or colonial visitors in London, to Royal Society receptions.
8. Letter from Professor MacCracken of New York University, asking for an opinion on the value of having a Biological Station in Bermuda, under the direction of Harvard and New York University departments: the reply that the Society had already supported such an establishment and enquiring if a plan of co-operation might be reached.
9. Letters from Dr. Downing and Professor Turner on a proposal to print tables of 7-figure or 8-figure logarithms referred to a small committee, instructed to co-operate with Turner and a committee of the Royal Astronomical Society.
10. Letter from Professor Turner on difficulties caused by the withdrawal of the colonial grant for measurement of plates from the Observatory at Perth: the Government to be approached with a view to assisting with the expenses.
11. Letter from the Secretary of the Meteorological Council, with letters from the Foreign Office, suggesting that thr Meteorological Office take responsibility for tabulating magnetism and meteorological observations in the UK and abroad, as simultaneous observations to those of South Polar explorations: the Royal Society states that funds should be applied to this and that the Admiralty may be willing to help.
12. Professor George Carey Foster re-appointed to the governing body of Dulwich College.
13. Remuneration of Professor McLeod, as Director of the Catalogue of Scientific Papers, increased from £250 to £300.
14. The Society's solicitors to act in taking legal proceedings to collect unpaid fees for testing at the National Physical Laboratory.
15. £500 to be advanced to the International Catalogue of Scientific Literature.
16. Discussion of the memorandum of the Senior Secretary on dates for the selection and election of candidates for Fellowship:: timetable printed and statutes to be altered accordingly.
17. Report of the Scientific Relief Committee on applications for support.
18. Letter from Arthur R. Stokes, The Schools, Shrewsbury, 15 February 1903, to the Royal Society, full text entered into the minutes: giving thanks for the letter of condolence on the death of George Gabriel Stokes.
19. Letters from the Presidents of the Royal and Royal Georgraohical Societies to Commander Robert Falcon Scott and to Captain William Colbeck, full text entered into the minutes: with instructions and and information for the National Antarctic Expedition.
20. Professor Joseph Larmor nominated to the Board of Visitors of the Royal Observatory, in place of George Gabriel Stokes.
21. Letter from the Director of the British Museum (Natural History) stating that the Trustees would be pleased to accept collections from the Funafuti Coral Reef.
22. Re-appointment of Dr. Buchan, Sir Archibald Geikie, the Earl of Rosse and Professor Macalister as representatives on the Government Grant Committee.
23. Mr. R. A. Hadfield to take the place of Sir William Roberts-Austen on the General Board of the National Physical Laboratory.
24. Leave granted to Cassell and Company to reproduce four portraits in an illustrated edition of Dr. Traill's 'Social England'.
25. Bills for engraving, printing and for other expenses.
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