| Description | The President in the chair
The following had leave to be present;
Dr Giralde and Mr Reed by Dr Parsons
Dr Vorschner by Dr Maty
Dr Hancock by Mr Grimfield
Mr Dalrymple by Captain Campbell
Mr Magalhaens by Dr Knight
Reported that Council had considered the favourable opinion of the Society in appointing Mr Robertson as Clerk, and had therefore also made him Librarian, Keeper of the Repository and Housekeeper
Presents received;
'Dictionaire Geographique Historique', and 'Politique des Guls etc de la France' from the author, Monsieur l'Abbe Expilly. Chanoine Tresorier de Sainte Martha de Tarascon, de la Societe Royal des Sciences et Belles Lettres de Nancy etc Folio Paris et Amsterdam from 1762-1767, 5 volumes
Proposed for election;
Christopher Nugent MD, by J Dyer, M Morris, James West, and James Parsons
Mr John Lodge Cowley, Professor of Mathematics at Woolwich, by Gregory Sharpe, William Mountaine, James Short and John Bevis
Richard Penneck A M of the British Museum, by Henry Stebbing, Thomas Astle, Daniel Solander, Samuel Harper, M Maty,
Mr James Horsfall, by Gregory Sharpe, James Burrow, and John Bevis
Read two letters enclosed in one from Mr Short to Dr Maty;
1. From Moscow, 3 March 1767 her Imperial Majesty the Empress of Russia to Count Wlodimir Orlow Director of the Academy of Sciences at St Petersburg giving orders to the Count ' to inform the Academy of her intentions with regard to the next Transit of Venus which will happen the 3rd of June 1769 : She desires the Observation may be made with the greatest ease, and in those places of the Empire which the Academy will point out as the most advantageously situated; and if there should not be sufficient number of Astronomers belonging to the Academy to render this observation compleat, she will cause search to be made among the sea officers for proper persons, who during the time which remains, may, under the direction of the Professor to be employed in this expedition, be instructed. '
2. From Petersburg, 23 October 1767, ' Mr Rumonsky thanks Mr Short for his promise to procure the necessary instruments; and submits to his opinion the steps which the Academy have taken with regard to the Transit. The places judged the most advantageous for the observation of the duration were Kola and its environs; and for the egress of the planet, the neighbourhood of the Caspian Sea, in consequence the Empress was desied to send two Observers to the North, and two towards the Caspian Sea; and the particular places pointed out were Cola, Soloweskoymonastir, Astracan and Orenburg: But the Empress considering the 'uncertain state' of the weather at Cola and its neighbourhood about the end of May, was pleased to order four more Observers to be sent to different places there ; and the Academy taking advantage of the gracious protection of their Sovereign; resolved to send an Observer to Iakoutska where the duration will be but two and a half degrees less than at Kola, Tornea and Cajenebourg: Mr Rumonsky adds, that he was informed by Mr Wargentin, Secretary of their Academy of Sciences at Stockholm, that Mr Mallet of Upsal was to go to observe Torneo, and Mr Planman Cajanebourg.
Subjoined to this letter was a list of the Instruments making in London for the use of the Imperial Academy of Sciences at St Petersburg viz;
1st One moveable Quadrant of 2.5 feet radius compleat, both for Astronomical and Geodetical operations.
2d Three moveable Quadrants of two feet radius compleat for the same purpose .
3rd An Astronomical clock with a compound pendulum.
4th An Achromatic Telescope of 18 feet focus;
5th An Achromatic Telescope of 3.5 feet focus;
6th A Gregorian reflecting Telescope of 36 inches focus;
7th A Gregorian reflecting telescope of 24 inches focus, with a common object glass micrometer;
8th A Gregorian reflecting telescope of 24 inches focus with an Achromatic object glass micrometer;
9th Six Astronomic Telescopes of 12 feet focus;
10th Two Achromatic Telescopes of 8 feet focus, each with Mr Graham's micrometer fitted to them;
11th Eight Achromatic Telescopes of three feet focus to take in a large field. '
Mr Short thanked for these two communications.
Discussion of the sequel of a letter of 9 July 1767 from John Ellis Esq FRS to Dr Linnaeus of Upsal FRS on the animal nature of Corallines, where in both this second part and the first, Mr Ellis does not only defend his observations against the attack by Dr Baster of Zealand and Dr Pallas of Berlin, but adds new discoveries to those he had made before. Controversy discussed in depth. Included specimens and accurate engravings presente at the meeting. Mr Ellis thanked for this communication
' Part of a memoir on neutral Salts made with vegetable acids by Dr Donald Monro FRS was read, and the rest referred to a future meeting. ' |