| 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: John Couch Adams; James Alderson; George Busk; Sir George Everest; John Peter Gassiot; John Edward Gray; Thomas Archer Hirst; Sir Henry Holland; Henry Bence Jones; William Allen Miller; Sir Roderick Impey Murchison; William Odling; the Reverend Bartholomew Price; Sir John Rennie; William Sharpey; George Gabriel Stokes; the President, Major-General Edward Sabine, in the Chair.
Among matters discussed or noted: minutes of the last meeting read and approved. New Members of Council made and subscribed to the declaration in lieu of the oath. Reappointment of the Library Committee, with membership and terms of reference. List of Fellows appointed to the Government Grant Committee. Letter from Robert J. Ellery, stating that the Observatory at Melbourne received Philosophical Transactions as a gift from Commander Kay and applying for lapsed volumes, but requesting also that the Observatory be placed on the official list entitled to receive the Society's publications: volumes granted and the question of placing the Observatory on the official list was postponed. Professor Beale appointed Croonian Lecturer. A letter from Dr. Falconer, on Foreign Membership, was read and adjourned until he could attend Council. Letter from Dr. Hooker on the signature of candidature certificates for Fellowship. Letter from Bennet Woodcroft requesting that Mr. F.P. Smith be allowed to consult archives on the invention of photography, granted. Letter from Joseph Jopling suggesting measurements of the Great Pyramid: Council were not prepared to adopt his suggestions. |