| 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 George Back; the Reverend John Barlow; Thomas Bell; William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire; Edward Frankland; John Peter Gassiot; Philip Hardwick; Colonel Henry James; William Hallows Miller; Sir Roderick Impey Murchison; John Percy; Major-General Edward Sabine; William Sharpey; Archibald Smith; George Gabriel Stokes; Charles Wheatstone; the Reverend William Whewell; John Wrottesley, 2nd Baron Wrottesley; the President, Benjamin Collins Brodie in the Chair.
Among matters discussed or noted: minutes of the last meeting read and approved. The Duke of Devonshire and William Whewell made and subscribed to the declaration in lieu of the oath, as new Members of Council. Parts of Chapter 9 Section 3 of the Statutes repealed, with a draft replacement Statute substituted, full text entered into the minutes. Letter from Few and Company relating to the Stevenson Bequest. Report on the Society's lands at Acton, by William Tite and J.P. Gassiot, 23 February 1859, full text entered into the minutes: on new roads and fences, the delivery to the Royal Society of land close to Acton Station and their likely value as building lands in 14 years' time. Financial statement presented by the Treasurer, Edward Sabine, on the Stevenson Bequest and the Royal Society's finances in general, full text entered into the minutes. Council had considered the expediency of requesting temporary possession of the 'Portsmouth Papers' relating to Isaac Newton fro the Earl of Portsmouth, for the elucidation of Newton's life and history of science, the President requested to make the application. Letter from Mr. Hamilton of the Treasury referring to an application by the Agent of the Smithsonian Institution for duty-free admission of books for distribution in the United Kingdom, and requesting the Royal Society's opinion, the Secretary to reply. Letter from the Secretary of the Microscopical Society requesting to hold a meeting in the rooms of the Royal Society, granted as the request was to meet an emergency. The Secretary stated that a letter from the Foreign Office, received by the President, from the French Ambassador in London, had requested that M. Delamarche, superintendent of the Meteorological Observation under the Conference at Brussels, should be placed in communication with correspondents in England: the application referred to Admiral Fitzroy. Letter from Cherif Pacha, Egyptian Minster of Foreign Affairs, acknowledging the thanks of Royal Society Council. Philosophical Transactions from 1846 part II to be presented to the Library of Gray's Inn, via Mr. Broderip. Proceedings from 1843 to be presented to the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia. The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia to be added to the list to receive the Proceedings. Resolved that an author might obtain more than the 100 copies of a paper for distribution, if expenses of papers and press are defrayed. Bill for payment, for engraving. |