Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales

JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY O F NEW SOUTH WA L ES

Volume 139 Parts 3 and 4

(Nos 421, 422)

2006

ISSN 0035-9173

PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY BUILDING H47 UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, NSW 2006 Issued December 2006 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

OFFICE BEARERS FOR 2006-2007

Patrons His Excellency, Major General Michael Jeffery AC, CVO, MC Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia. Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir, AC, Governor of New South Wales. President Prof. J. Kelly, BSc Syd, PhD Reading, DSc NSW, FAIP, FInstP Vice Presidents Mr D.A. Craddock, BSc (Eng) NSW, Grad. Cert. Management UWS. Mr J.R. Hardie, BSc Syd, FGS, MACE. Mr CM. Wilmot two vacancies Hon. Secretary (Gen.) Dr E. Baker PhD ANU, MSc USyd, BSc (Hons), GradDipEd (Distinction UTS), AMusA, MRACI, CChem. Hon. Secretary (Ed.) Prof. P. A. Williams, BA (Hons), PhD Macq. Hon. Treasurer Ms M. Haire Hon. Librarian Ms C. van der Leeuw Councillors Mr A.J. Buttenshaw Mr J. Franklin Prof. H. Hora Dr M. Lake, PhD Syd Ms Jill Rowling BE UTS, MSc Syd A/Prof. W.A. Sewell, MB, BS, BSc Syd, PhD Melb FRCPA Ms R. Stutchbury Southern Highlands Rep. vacant

The Society originated in the year 1821 as the Philosophical Society of Australasia. Its main function is the promotion of Science by: publishing results of scientific investigations in its Journal and Proceedings; conducting monthly meetings; organising summer science schools for senior secondary school students; awarding prizes and medals; and by liason with other scientific societies. Special meetings are held for: the Pollock Memorial Lecture in Physics and Mathematics, the Liversidge Research Lecture in Chemistry, the Clarke Memorial Lecture in Geology, Zoology and Botany, and the Poggendorf Lecture in Agricultural Science.

Membership, as an Ordinary, Associate or Absentee Member, is open to any person whose application is acceptable to the Society. An application must be supported by two members of the Society. Subscriptions for the Journal only are accepted. The Society welcomes, from members and non-members, manuscripts of research and review articles in all branches of science, art, literature and philosophy for publication in the Journal and Proceedings.

ISSN 0035-9173

The Royal Society of New South Wales does not require authors to transfer their copyright. Authors are free to re-use their paper in any of their future printed work and can post a copy of the published paper on their own web site. Enquiries relating to copyright or reproduction of an article should be directed to the author.

Acknowledgements

The Royal Society of New South Wales thanks the NSW State State Government for its support of this Journal. Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, Vol. 139, p. 71-74, 2006 ISSN 0035-9173/06/020071-4 $4.00/1

The Royal Society of New South Wah Community Heritage Granj LVJVJ ROBYN STUTCHBURY

INTRODUCTION representativeness, condition and integrity, and interpretive potential. Probably few members will be surprised to hear that the collection of books and other items owned by the Royal Society of NSW is of great historical and scientific significance. What might be more of a surprise is its degree of significance. This has been revealed by expert consultants during almost six months' investigation for our Community Heritage funded project. Their reports have been submitted together with our final report and our application for a second round of funding for 2007. The reports will be available through the Society's office and website. Our $5 500 (plus GST) grant was announced by the Federal Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator the Hon. Rod Kemp, at the National Library of Australia, Canberra, on Wednesday 9 November 2005. A total of $377865 was distributed to 76 groups from around Australia John Hardie receiving the Community Heritage to assist in the identification and preservation Grant on behalf of the Royal Society of NSW of community owned but nationally Significant from the Federal Minister for the Arts and heritage collections. The Community Heritage Sport, Senator the Hon. Rod Kemp. Program is managed by the National Library of Australia and funded and supported by the Australian Government through the Depart- WORKING GROUP ment of Communications, Information Technol- Soon after the Royal Society of was ogy and the Arts, the National Library of Aus- NSW granted Community Heritage funding, a work- tralia, National Archives of Australia, the Aus- ing group of members of Council was formed tralian Film Commission and the National Mu- to steer the project and assist consultants. All seum of Austraha. members of the working group are practising Guidelines for the project called for a na- scientists with a keen interest in the history of tional significance assessment of the collection science and the recognition that over the years, by a professional historian or similar expert and science has been sorely neglected. a preservation survey of the collection or part of a collection by an accredited professional. Professor Jak Kelly, President, physicist; The recommended criteria for determining the Ms Robyn Stutchbury, Project leader, significance of a collection are its historic, aes- geologist and science educator; thetic, scientific and social values. The society's Mr John Hardie, Vice President, collection is rich in all of these values and the geologist and educator; degree of significance was further assessed using Ms Christine van der Leeuw, the comparative criteria of provenance, rarity. Honorary Librarian and scientist; 72 STUTCHBURY

Dr Eveline Baker, Secretary, chemist and As indicated, each consultant tackled the educator; project from a different perspective. Peter's Mr Jim Franklin, Councillor, overall consideration of the historical signifi- research physicist. cance of the collection was based on the premise of there being a common perception that NSW In November 2005 John Hardie attended the (and Australia) was a cultural desert in 19th three-day intensive Preservation and Collection century, with little regard given to the small in- Management Training Workshop held at the tellectual strata of society of the time. There National Library of Australia, the National is far more emphasis on convicts, bushrangers, Archives, the National Museum of Australia squatters, in the early history. Peter also con- and the National Film and Sound Archives sidered the preservation of the collection and in Canberra. Information from the workshop later suggested some 30 recommendations for proved invaluable and each person involved in how it should be cared for. the project was issued with a copy of the handbook outlining the procedures for the project.

TASKS OF THE WORKING GROUP

The working group contributed well in excess of 400 hours to the project. Some were spent on two major working bees at Darlington Road, where we concentrated on setting up, cleaning and labelling previously purchased metal shelving; opening 30 cartons of publications and sort- ing the books into topic areas. They were then listed on a spreadsheet according to the following categories: author, title, volume, year of publication, broad topic area, shelf location and comments such as condition, provenance, etc. The list could then be sorted according to any one of these categories. Our librarian also checked the Libraries Australia database for the availability of selected titles. Time was also spent with the consultants at Mitchell Library and Prestons where, at each site, as many items as possible could be exam-

ined in one day. v

EXPERT CONSULTANTS Dr Peter J. Tyler, BA, MLitt, PhD, Grad.Dip.Ad.Ed., Hon.FAIEH; Consultant his- The working group engaged two professionally torian; Vice-President, Professional Historians' qualified assessors conversant in science as well Association (NSW), who agreed to assess the as history. Dr Peter Tyler we chose from the overall historical significance of the collection

Professional Historians' Association list and Dr according to National Library guidelines and

David Branagan, former Royal Society presi- to make recommendations for how it should be dent and geologist, was chosen because of his preserved and made accessible (Peter Tyler's long standing commitment to the history of sci- report: 'Report on Historical Significance'). ence. COMMUNITY HERITAGE GRANT 73

David Branagan examined the collection the University of Sydney. As a result of so many item by item, recording significance based on moves, the collection is now stored at various lo- the recommended criteria and noting the con- calities; some are at the Mitchell Library, where dition and state of preservation of each. Both they are stored under archival conditions but consultants generously contributed professional without access to the public, and others are at time far in excess of the hours covered by the the Darlington Road office where many of the grant. items are in need of urgent preservation measures but have some access to members and researchers by appointment. The Royal Society's collection housed in the Dixson Library at the

University of New England is in the care of librarians who provide full access to researchers and the public, whilst the eight pallet loads in

commercial storage at Prestons is stored under plastic wrap and although relatively protected

it is completely inaccessible for research. Dr David Branagan has estimated that the total number of publications in the collection would be in excess of 45 000 with the bulk of these being serials at the UNE. This project examined some 1000 items that had been stored in 30 boxes at Darlington Road. Another 29 of the 48 boxes of various items at the Mitchell Li- brary and 21 boxes (on two of eight pallets) of publications at Prestons were also examined.

IN CONCLUSION

It must be remembered that the collection has been in a state of decline since the NSW Gov- Dr David Branagan, M.Sc, PhD, FGS, Hon ernment resumed the Society's building, Sci- Life Member, Geol.Soc.Aust., (Member of ence House in Sydney, for the Rocks Redevel- the Basser Library Committee, Australian opment in the 1975. Although the 'green bans' Academy of Sciences) who agreed to use the movement prevented the demolition of Science criteria: provenance, rarity, representativeness, House, which was the winner of the first Sulman condition and integrity, and interpretive poten- Prize for architecture, it was never returned to tial when assessing the significance of individ- science, becoming instead, Sports House. We ual books and other items (David Branagan's would like to think that our collection might report: "Report on the Cultural, Historical and one day be rehoused in Science House, which Scientific Significance of the Society's Library was once jointly owned by the Royal Society of and its State of Preservation".) NSW so that in regaining it, the Society would have the opportunity to rebuild its library and collection to the standard set by the Royal So- THE COLLECTION ciety of Victoria. We should also take stock of the Liversidge

The collection of the Royal Society has been collection and perhaps make it a focal point subjected to a number of moves over a number for future exhibitions. It is remarkable that of years with the last being from its rooms at Archibald Liversidge, who was Professor of Ge- Macquarie University to the current premises at ology and Mineralogy, and later Professor of 74 STUTCHBURY

Chemistry at the University of Sydney is cel- house Museum has already been listed and it ebrated at the Austrahan National University seems fitting that the society's items should be with streets and buildings named after him and included. yet, at the University of Sydney he goes un- The Royal Society's Community Heritage recognised. project is seen to be the first step in preserving In his report, David Branagan comments, and making accessible the Society's collection "In view of Liversidge's contribution to Aus- of scientific books, journals and historical doc- tralian Science and to the University of Syd- uments and other items. Our ultimate aim is ney it is a sobering fact that the biography of to complete the assessments of the entire collec- Liversidge by Professor Roy Macleod, of the tion by once again calling on professional con- University, completed several years ago has not servators, so that eventually our extensive and yet been deemed worthy of publication by Aus- unique collection can be rehoused. Once re- tralian publishing houses. It is sad also that housed, it will be possible to exhibit the rarer despite the naming of a street in Canberra for items and researchers and the public will be able Liversidge his contribution to the University of to access various items of the collection. With Sydney remains without acknowledgement (by this aim in mind, we have submitted the appli- a named building etc.) within the grounds, or cation for a second round of funding through even within the Department of Chemistry." the Conmiunity Heritage Program. Although

Another outcome of the project is the recom- we have all worked extremely hard to make the mendation that the Hargrave collection should most of our expert consultants' contributions, be considered for World Heritage Listing. The we are aware that we have a long way to go section of the collection owned by the Power- before we can claim success.

R. Stutchbury 2006 Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, Vol. 139, p. 75-99, 2006 ISSN 0035-9173/06/020075-25 $4.00/1

The Royal Society of New South Wales

Report on Historical Significance

PETER TYLER

Keywords: Royal Society of NSW, Library Collection, Community Heritage Grant

THE BRIEF ture. ^ The name was changed to 'Philosophical Society of New South Wales' in 1856, the year In November 2005 the Royal Society was that the Colony gained responsible government. awarded a Community Heritage Grant to fund In May 1866, Queen Victoria granted permis- a Significance and Preservation Survey. The sion to assume the present title 'The Royal So- Community Heritage Grants Program is man- ciety of New South Wales'. The Society was aged by the National Library of Australia and incorporated under this name by Act of the jointly funded and supported by the Australian NSW Parliament on 16 December 1881 'for the Government through the Department of Com- encouragement of studies and investigations in munications, Information Technology and the Science, Art, Literature and Philosophy'. Arts, the National Library of Australia, Na- Because the Royal Society was incorporated tional Archives of Australia, the Australian under its own Act of Parliament, it can only and the National of Film Commission Museum be dissolved by legislation, unlike most corpo- Australia. rate bodies where this power is vested in the The grant is seen as a first step in support- members. Until 1935 women were not admit- ing the effort to preserve the Royal Society's ted to the Society, although scholarly papers scientific books, journals his- collection of and by women such as by Fanny Cohen and Marie professional ex- torical documents by engaging Bentivoglio were accepted for reading or pub- pertise to guide the ongoing management and lication. Tlie first woman to be elected Presi- preservation of the collection. dent was Dr Ida Browne, a palaeontologist who In addition to an appraisal of the collection, achieved that distinction in 1953. this report gives a brief overview of the Soci- The Royal Society of NSW (henceforth de- ety's development and an assessment of its sig- scribed as 'the Society') set up 'Sections' deal- nificance in the intellectual life of New South ing with particular branches of knowledge, in- Wales from early colonial times. cluding agriculture, architecture, astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, ethnology, fine THE ROYAL SOCIETY arts, geography, geology, literature, mathematics, medicine, microscopy, physics, and public The Royal Society of New South Wales traces health. Those Sections gradually dispersed as its origins to the 'Philosophical Society of Aus- new societies or professional associations were tralasia' formed in 1821 when six men met at formed to cater for specialised interests in those the home of Judge Barron Field. It soon grew fields. For example, the Linnean Society was to a dozen members, meeting in their homes founded in 1874 to promote 'the cultivation and

by rotation. Nevertheless after about twelve study of the science of natural history in all its months the society lapsed until another organ- branches', with considerable financial support isation with similar objectives was formed in from its first President, the politician and am- 1850 as the 'Australian Philosophical Society'. ateur biologist Sir William Macleay. The par- By that time the educated population of the ticular focus of the Linnean Society has always Colony was large enough to support such a ven- been the biological sciences. Macleay was also

^ In the first census year of 1828, the total population of NSW was 35,960. This had grown to 178,668 by 1851. 76 TYLER

a foundation member of the Philosophical Soci- In 1975 the building was resumed by the ety of NSW, and the two societies retained close NSW Government with a view to its demo- links for many years. lition as part of The Rocks redevelopment

Despite the proliferation of specialised sci- scheme. Changed community attitudes towards entific bodies, the Royal Society retained an in- the value of heritage buildings prevented that terest in all these fields, as perusal of the pub- grandiose redevelopment taking place; never- lications and activities will attest. Research theless the government retained the property, was fostered through regular meetings, sym- re-named Sports House while it was occupied posia, publications and international scientific by sporting associations that later moved to

exchange. Membership of the Society is now Wentworth Park. The change in nomenclature open to any person interested in these activ- and usage perhaps reflected the priorities of the ities. From 1875 the Society rented premises NSW Government.2 in the Clark Assembly Rooms at 5 Elizabeth The Society held its last meeting in Sci- Street, Sydney, a property that it later pur- ence House on 4 August 1976, at which time chased. When this was sold in 1927, the Society the Institution of Engineers decided to move moved into temporary quarters in Castlereagh its national headquarters to Canberra. The Street previously occupied by the University Royal Society and Linnean Society then ac- Club. quired Clarence House at 35 Clarence Street In 1931, the Society moved into the purpose- formerly owned by printing ink manufacturer built 'Science House' at 157 Gloucester Street W.T. Wimble. This was re-named as the Sci- on land granted by the NSW Government. The ence Centre, where the Society remained until building, designed by architects Peddle, Thorpe 1983. The new arrangement did not prove vi- and Walker, won the first Sulman Prize for ar- able, so the two partners were forced to sell this chitecture in 1932. building. The Royal Society moved into two cottages owned by Macquarie University, but SciEN.CE Mouse - Sydney. later had to compress its activities into a single unit at 136 Herring Road, North Ryde. Be- cause there was insuflacient room for the library, the collection had to be dispersed or placed in storage. The Linnean Society moved to Milsons

Point, where it still functions.

The Royal Society now operates from a small terrace house at 121 Darlington Road, Darling- ton, owned by the University of Sydney on the fringe of the University campus. Although held

under lease, there is no security of tenure; at any From the Society's collection, a print from a time the University may require the premises for sketch of Science House showing when it won its own expansion. the Sulman Prize for Architecture in 1932. The building is well-protected against intru- Other scientific societies and professional as- sion by metal grilles on all doors and windows, sociations also occupied Science House, in par- with a connection to the University security ser- ticular the Linnean Society and the Institution vice, but there are no smoke alarms. Fire ex- of Engineers Australia, both of which were co- tinguishers are plentiful, but this is meaning- owners. The libraries of the Royal Society and less when the premises are only occupied inter- the Linnean Society shared the same room, al- mittently. The corrugated iron roof is rusty in though they were catalogued separately. patches, and may be liable to leak.

^ The building has since reverted to its original name of Science House, and is occupied by commercial tenants, including the Sydney campus of Curtin University of Technology from Western Australia. REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 77

In place of the specialised interest sections J.L. Gerard Krefft (1830 1881) was curator that ceased to exist as other associations took and secretary of the Australian Museum. He their place, the Royal Society of NSW devel- served on the council of the Philosophical Soci- oped a decentralised structure to cater for scien- ety of NSW and became a member of the Royal

tific interests in regions where universities were Society until 1874, when he left the Museum. A established or industry flourished. This move number of his zoological papers were published was in line with political and social pressures for in the Transactions of the Philosophical Society. greater decentralisation of services. The first re- Professor Archibald Liversidge (1846- gional division of the Society was the New Eng- 1927) was Professor of Geology and Mineralogy, land Branch, which began on 24 March 1961 and later Professor of Chemistry at the Univer- and operated very successfully for many years, sity of Sydney. An active President of the Soci- although it is currently in recess. The exis- ety, he bequeathed his extensive library to the tence of this Branch was a significant factor Society. in the relocation of portion of the Society library to Armidale. active Southern High- An J.H. Maiden (1859-1925) was the curator of lands Branch currently provides a strong focus the new Technological Museum in Sydney be- for the Society in that area of South Wales, New fore becoming Director of the Botanic Gardens where its regular activities are accessible to peo- in 1896. He founded the National Herbarium in ple from Canberra. 1901. He was twice President of the Society.

PROMINENT MEMBERS H.C. Russell (1836-1907) became the NSW Government Astronomer in 1870. He wrote ex- Notable scientists who have made a significant tensively on scientific matters and established contribution to the reputation of the Royal So- uniform meteorological data collection proce- ciety of NSW include: dures throughout the Australian colonies. He Rev. W.B. Clarke (1798-1878) was unofficial was President of the Royal Society on four occa- Geological Surveyor of New South Wales 1851- sions, and became the foundation President of 3, and reported on the goldfields in NSW. He the Australasian Association for the Advance- was Vice President of the Society during a pe- ment of Science. riod when the Colonial Governor customarily Professor John Smith (1821-1885) was the held the office of President. Clarke is often described as 'the father of Australian geology'. first Professor of Chemistry and Experimental Professor Sir T.W. Edgeworth David Physics at the University of Sydney. He was President of the Society on four occasions. (1858-1934), a former President of the Society, was Professor of Geology at the University of Sir Thomas Anderson Stuart (1856-1920) Sydney, and a member of the first party to ex- was the first Professor of Anatomy and Physiol- plore the region of the South Magnetic Pole in ogy at the University of Sydney. He was respon- 1909, as part of Shackleton's expedition. sible for establishing the School of Dentistry. He Lawrence Hargrave (1850-1915) was a pio- held many public offices, including President of neer in aeronautics. He demonstrated the pos- the Royal Society of NSW. sibility of powered ffight with models in 1884, invented the rotary engine in 1889 and the ra- In addition to the many members who dial engine in 1890. His experiments with box have made an outstanding contribution to Aus- kites in 1893 led to the development of the first tralian scientific research, distinguished inter- practical aeroplanes. Hargrave joined the Royal national figures also appear on the Society's Society in 1877 and delivered thirty papers to rolls. Charles Darwin was elected as an hon- the Society in following years. Their publica- orary member in 1879, and Louis Pasteur was tion in the Journal and Proceedings enabled the elected in 1883. Letters from Darwin and Pas- results of this research to be distributed inter- teur acknowledging this honour are treasured nationally. items in the Society archives. 78 TYLER

Another name that is hnked to the Soci- The Society's Clarke Memorial Lecture in

ety during the nineteenth century is the Ameri- geology dates back to 1903.

can geologist James D. Dana, who was attached The Walter Burfitt Prize for scientific work to the United States Exploring Expedition led done in Australia or New Zealand was first

by Charles Wilkes during the years 1838-1842. awarded in 1929. It is awarded every three years Dana made a geological survey of New South for contributions of the highest scientific merit.

Wales in 1849, and later corresponded with Rev. The Society's Medal for scientific research W.B. Clarke. A number of the publications aris- and services to the Royal Society of New South ing from these expeditions, including atlas fo- Wales was first awarded in 1884. Since then it lios, are held in the Society's collection. Some has been awarded 66 times. were donated by Professor Dana, as noted else- The Jam.es Cook Medal for outstanding con- in this Report, while where others have been tributions to science and human welfare in and acquired elsewhere. volume geology is The on for the Southern Hemisphere was first awarded extremely rare, as a warehouse fire destroyed in 1947. much of the limited print run prior to publica- The Edgeworth David Medal is awarded to tion. The Society's copy was obtained by Pro- an Australian scientific research worker under fessor Liversidge from the Smithsonian Institute the age of 35 years. It was first awarded in 1948. in Washington. The Archibald D. Olle Prize may be awarded The Society's membership did not consist from time to time for the best paper by a mem- solely of these high achievers. Many of the peo- ber published in the Journal and Proceedings. ple involved had made their contribution to so- It was first awarded in 1956. ciety in other fields, but retained a serious inter- The Royal Societies of Australia Eureka est in aspects of science. Thus amongst the 328 Prize for Interdisciplinary Scientific Research members in 1866 we find 51 politicians, 36 mer- was introduced in 2003. It is funded by the chants, and 19 clergymen.^ For some, the op- six State Royal Societies for award to the Aus- portunity for social contacts and business net- tralian partnership or team whose outstanding working may have been as important as the sci- research involves the active collaboration of scientific discourse. entists in two or more disciplines. The range of scientific disciplines practised The Liversidge Research Lecture in chem- by Society Presidents between 1880-1961 is istry was first delivered in 1931 and is given shown in Appendix C. every second year. The Pollock Memorial Lecture in mathemat- PRIZES, AWARDS AND ics or physics is presented in association with MEMORIAL LECTURES the University of Sydney, and was first held in 1949. It is held about every four years.

High levels of scientific achievement are recog- The Poggendorf Memorial Lecture in agri- nised by the Society through the award of prizes culture was first delivered in 1987, and is held or medals, some of which date back to the nine- every two or three years. teenth century. Leading researchers are invited The winners of each of these honours to present public lectures in their particular since their inception are listed on the Society field, including prestigious events commemorat- website: http : / /nsw . royalsociety . org . au/ ing past scholars. Some of these awards are pre- awards . html sented annually; other at less regular intervals. Many of the recipients were already at the The Clarke Medal for distinguished work in zenith of their profession. Others, however, the natural sciences (geology, botany, zoology) were talented younger scientists. A worthwhile done in or around Australia was first awarded research project would be to trace the subse- in 1878. quent careers of these award-winners, to see

^ . A. A. Day & J.A.F. Day, 'A biographical register . . ', Journal and Proceedings, Royal Society of New South Wales, Vol. 129, 1996, p. 137. REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 79

whether early promise was vindicated by their The Society holds one complete run of this later contributions to science. (See reconnnen- serial in bound volumes from 1867 to 1969. dation 19) Loose copies published subsequent to this date need to be bound without delay. Some of the early volumes require conservation treatment to SUMMER SCHOOLS prevent further deterioration of leather bind- ings. Two almost complete sets of duplicate Beginning in the 1970s, the Society conducted bound copies exist, but these do not form a

a program of Summer Schools for senior sec- complete run, although it is possible that miss- ondary school students that ran for more than ing issues may be found amongst the unsorted twenty-five years. With corporate sponsorship, boxes of stored material. Compilation of further

these Summer Schools during the vacation gave complete sets is not a high priority, as other li-

leaders in their fields of science the opportunity braries also hold full runs of the Journal and to explain and demonstrate the latest research. Proceedings. An important objective was to create a sense The Society also holds a bound volume of of enthusiasm for science amongst young peo- the Transactions of the Philosophical Society of ple. The success of these initial Summer Schools New South Wales, 1862-1865. This was the became a model for similar projects that were forerunner to the present Royal Society. Some organised later by other scientific bodies. of the papers presented to early meetings of the the participants in the an- Research into Philosophical Society were published in the Syd- nual Summer Schools would provide useful in- ney Magazine of Science and Art in 1857 and formation for educationists. Did their school- 1859. This publication is held in Mitchell Li- aptitude lead to a successful scientific ca- day brary as well as the Society's own library. News- If Schools at least reer? not, did the Summer papers of the day were also inclined to publish serve a valuable purpose by creating a greater the full text of Society lectures; in later years awareness understanding of the scientific and an abridged account of proceedings appeared in It also interesting to dis- method? would be the press. cover where the students came from. Did par- Several of the papers presented at meetings ticular schools or teachers have a strong influ- of the original Philosophical Society of Aus- ence? Boxes 1 and 2 in the Mitchell Library col- tralasia in 1821 were collected by member Bar- lection of Royal Society material include much ron Field and published as Geographical Mem- of the relevant information, including programs, oirs on New South Wales after he returned to attendance lists, and group photographs of par- London in 1825. A copy of this book is held by ticipants. Mitchell Library.

The importance of the Journal and Proceed- PUBLICATIONS ings in colonial scientific circles should not be underestimated. It provided the outlet for pub-

The flagship publication of the Society is the lication of much original material. To give an peer-reviewed Journal and Proceedings of The example of the quantity and diversity of infor- Royal Society of New South Wales. This has mation disseminated in this way, we can look at been published continuously since 1867, with Vol. X, for the year 1876, but published by the slight changes in title. From Vol. I (1867) NSW Government Printer in 1877. This con- to Vol. VIII (1874) it was known as Transac- sisted of 333 pages, plus three meteorological tions of the Royal Society of New South Wales. charts. The volume was edited by Professor A.

From Vol. IX (1875) it became Transactions and Liversidge and contained 18 articles in addition Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South to the text of four papers read before Sections of Wales. From Vol. X (1876) the present title the Royal Society. Topics ranged across astron- was adopted. Volume 139 (Nos. 409-410) will omy, geology, palaeontology, meteorology, min- be published in 2006. eralogy, oceanography, anthropology, botany, m TYLER

dentistry and fine art etctiing (whicli of course years. In its early days the Newsletter was little was also a teclmique used in the illustration of more than a meeting notice paper. The Soci- scientific publications). ety has not retained a complete consolidated file

The index to articles in the Journal and of the Bulletin/Newsletter, although it may be

Proceedings is presently on library cards, in al- possible to reconstruct one from other sources. phabetical order by author. However, it does Although easily dismissed as ephemeral, this not appear to have been maintained post-2001. publication in its various forms is extremely This should be brought up to date. When re- valuable for tracing the history of the Society sources permit, it would be desirable to digitise and its activities, containing detailed informa- this index and place it on a computer database. tion that may not be readily available from A subject index on cards appears to exist only other sources such as annual reports. for a couple of volumes (106-107). In 1975 A. A. Day compiled an 82-page subject index THE LIBRARY COLLECTIONS covering the first half-century. Volumes 1-50 When the Royal Society and the Linnean So- (1867-1916) plus four years of the Philosoph- ciety shared the library premises in Science ical Society of NSW (1862-1865). This con- House, members of each Society were allowed tains approximately 2,500 alphabetic entries. It to borrow from either collection, although they is understood that the Journal and Proceed- were catalogued separately. As a broad gener- ings is listed on current bibliographic abstract alisation, the Royal Society concentrated on the databases (e.g. APAis), but this coverage does physical sciences while the Linnean Society cov- not extend to earlier volumes published before ered the life sciences, but there was considerable the era of electronic indexing. overlap. After the two societies moved to sep- Because the Journal and Proceedings is ex- arate premises, it is believed that much of the changed with some 600 institutions in fifty Linnean Society library collection was dispersed countries throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, the amongst other institutions. Americas including every state of the USA, Because of the space restrictions imposed by Australian scientific achievements are rapidly several changes of location since vacating Sci- brought to the attention of international re- ence House, the Royal Society's extensive li- searchers. In return, Australia receives publi- brary itself has become dispersed over a number cations that are rarely available in this country. of sites. This has hindered use of the material These mainly comprise journals, but sometimes by researchers. books are received as well. As described else- By 1960 the Library had grown to some where in this report, these journals and books 40,000 volumes. In 1983, when the Society relin- are accessible from the Dixson Library at the quished the Science Centre in Clarence Street, University of New England. about 30,000 items, mainly serials received on Many early volumes contain a full list of exchange with other institutions, were trans- current members of the Society, enabling referred to the Dixson Library at the University searchers to track the scientific interests of of New England in Armidale. That Library pre- prominent citizens of New South Wales. pared and published a separate catalogue of the The Society also publishes a Bulletin for Royal Society collection in 1989, listing about members, giving information about future 1,700 titles.'^ This arrangement has been mutu- meetings, abstracts of lectures etc. This ally beneficial, providing an accessible domicile appears monthly, except in the months of for a large part of the Society's collection, at December-January. The latest issue, Number the same time as greatly enhancing the Univer- 295, was published in June 2006. As the Bul- sity's own library. The Society's New England letin, or under its previous title Newsletter, this Branch did much to facilitate this solution to a publication has been in existence for some thirty difficult problem.

^ Dixson Library. A Catalogue of The Royal Society of New South Wales Collection, Armidale, University of New England, 1989. REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 81

After removal of a large component of the Emanuel Bowen Complete System, of Geography, library collection to Armidale, the remainder of published in 1747. These books have intrinsic the collection was transferred to the premises historic interest. The majority of the Darling- then occupied by the Society at Macquarie Uni- ton collection comprises works published during versity. However, when Macquarie University the nineteenth century - 471 titles, but many

required this area for its own expansion, it was more actual volumes because some of these form necessary to place much of the material into ex- part of an extended series, such as Curtis's ternal storage, partly at Mitchell Library and Botanical Magazine, dating from 1787, but pub- partly in an industrial warehouse. lished almost weekly between 1879-1897, and As part of this heritage survey, a small team 24 volumes of The Astronomical Register, pub- of Society representatives has examined these lished between 1863-1886. There are 255 ti- scattered collections in order to provide an over- tles from the twentieth century plus another 21 all assessment of their significance and physical whose publication date cannot be determined. condition. Members of this team include Coun- In addition to these listed monographs, a sep- cil members Mr John Hardie and Ms Robyn arate listing has been prepared of large items, Stuchbury plus consultants Dr David Branagan principally geological atlases from the late nine- and Dr Peter Tyler. Other Society members teenth century, particularly from the Dutch have provided practical assistance. East Indies (now Indonesia) and the United States of America. There are also some rare A complete listing of the library collection twentieth century ethnographic and geological at Darlington has been prepared by Ms Stutch- maps from Eastern Europe. bury. This includes many of the rare and historic items, and forms the main focus of a sepa- The nature of the collection is of particular rate appraisal prepared by Dr David Branagan, historic interest for what it reveals about the formerly Associate Professor of Geology at the interests of Australian scientific workers during University of Sydney, who has published widely the second half of the nineteenth century, when on both geology and the practice of nineteenth- the Royal Society included most of these prac- century science in Australia. Some of the listed titioners amongst its membership. Most of the works are unobtainable in any other library in books dating from an earlier period appear to New South Wales. have been donated or bequeathed to the Society, During the preliminary survey, the books a fact that demonstrates the importance of the were arranged on steel library shelving in a Society in their lives. However, it also means fairly consistent, logical manner, with the exact that they may duplicate works already in the location listed on the collection database so that collection, or may be peripheral to the Society's any volume can be accessed readily. However, core interests. this is in no sense a library catalogue. In his re- A sample of items in the collection has been port, Dr Branagan has indicated which volumes checked against other Australian library cat- require urgent conservation treatment. alogues to assess their rarity. Many are not Amongst the outstanding works on these available in New South Wales, although they shelves there are three books from the sixteenth may be held in other Australian collections, but century, the oldest being the Latin text by sometimes not open to the public, such as the Cyrillus, In Johannen, dated 1508. This has Supreme Court of Victoria.^ An example of an been re-bound and is in excellent condition. It arcane publication is the 1930 Report on the Re- was part of the private library bequeathed to construction of the Tokyo Imperial University the Society by Professor Archibald Liversidge. Library; only one other copy is known to exist

Although there is very little dated from in Australia, at the University of Melbourne. the seventeenth century, there are thirteen vol- On the other hand, works that would seem to umes from the eighteenth century, such as the be equally obscure such as the 1904 report of

^ For example. Baron von Mueller's Descriptive Notes on Papuan Plants (1875). 82 TYLER

the Royal Society of London's Coral Reef Com- Society libraries is listed on this database. mittee on The Atoll of Funafuti are held by at Eight pallets packed with cartons of mono- least ten other libraries in Austraha, including graphs and bound serials belonging to the Soci- three in New South Wales. ety are held in storage at Prestons, on the out- A spot check of medical books from the skirts of Sydney. A sample of about 25 per cent nineteenth century revealed that none of these of this collection was examined by JH, DB, RS, are held in the comprehensive Medical His- and PT on 31 March 2006. This revealed that tory Library of the Royal Australasian College some of the rarest and most significant items of Physicians, generally regarded as the best of the Society's collection are located at this source for this material in New South Wales. site, where they are totally inaccessible to re-

An example is: A. Becquerel, Traite des Ap- searchers. plications de L'Electricite a la Therapeutique Because the cartons are housed in a ware-

Medicale et Chiurgicale, Paris, 1857. house alongside perishable goods, there is seri- The Society collection also includes early ous risk of damage by rodents or insect pests, editions of Encyclopaedia Britannica, The Aus- despite the precautions taken by the property tralian Encyclopaedia, and Oxford English Dic- owner, who is President of the Southern High- tionary, as well as the Historical Records of Aus- lands Branch of the Society. It is a matter of tralia. While the encyclopaedias are not unique, considerable urgency that this material be relo- they provide a useful supplementary resource cated and properly catalogued. for scholars of nineteenth-century science, be- Mitchell Library at the State Library of New cause they contain accounts of contemporary South Wales holds 48 boxes of manuscript mate- knowledge. rial, principally archival records of the Society.

One advantage of a collection such as this A contents list is held in the Manuscripts Sec- arises from its rare books being on open access tion of the Mitchell Library, but is somewhat where scholars can browse along the shelves and unreliable. A sample comprising about 60 per so discover relevant material that may not be cent of this collection was examined by JH, DB, identified readily from traditional library cata- RS, and PT on 30 March 2006. Further infor- logues. The value of serendipitous discoveries mation is given in the 'archives' section of this should not be discounted in historical research. Report.

Although the collection of monographs and The material located at the University of journals held at the Society's premises in Dar- New England was inspected several years ago lington appears to be in reasonable condition by Dr Branagan. Exchanges of serials continue and adequately housed, it is not located in a as previously, with active journals available on climate-controlled environment that would pre- open access in the main library shelves. They vent future deterioration. Being situated on are also available on inter-library loan. The the upper level of a nineteenth-century terrace older, inactive part of the collection is housed in house whose structural condition is uncertain, a designated room at the Dixson Library, and the collection is vulnerable to water penetra- identified as The Royal Society of New South tion in the event of roof leakage. Older build- Wales Collection by a bookplate and the Soci- ings such as this are prone to be dusty, and may ety crest embossed in gold on the spine of each harbour damaging vermin. volume. The entire collection needs to be profession- Although the core collection presently ally catalogued in accordance with a recognised housed at Darlington is not very accessible to system, such as Dewey Decimal. The cata- researchers, the Society is able to photocopy logue should be made available on-line, and particular articles on request, at cost. This ser- listed with the 'Libraries Australia' database vice is not publicised, however. In any case, (formerly 'Kinetica') to facilitate inter-library the lack of an accessible catalogue means that loans of items other than rare or unique ma- few people know of the collection's existence. terial. Every one of the other five state Royal The Society's material held in Mitchell Library REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 83

theoretically is available for public perusal, but Crustacea prepared following the United States

because it does not form part of the Library's Exploring Expedition in the early years of the

own collection it is not properly catalogued and nineteenth century. These were published in

is difficult to retrieve. The material housed in 1852, and are inscribed 'For the Royal Society

a suburban warehouse is completely inaccessi- of New South Wales from the Author, James D.

ble to the public, although it appears to include Dana, New Haven, Connecticut, December 25, some rare and valuable items. 1893.' The purpose-built cedar bookcases that A significant amount of material was be- housed the Society's collection in Elizabeth queathed to the Society by former President Street and later at Science House had to be Professor Archibald Liversidge. This mate- modified to fit into the Clarence Street prop- rial usually bears Liversidge's signature and/or

erty, which had lower ceilings. When the So- bookplate, adding to its interest and value. ciety moved to a small unit at Macquarie Uni- Mitchell Library benefactor David Scott versity, there was no space for these handsome Mitchell collected items relating to the Royal bookcases, which were purchased by the His- Society, and these are catalogued as part of toric Houses Trust, where they have been in- his bequest to the State Library of NSW. This stalled in the 'Royal Society Reading Room' includes a printed Catalogue of the Scientific in the Caroline Simpson Library and Research Books in the Library of the Royal Society of Collection at the restored Mint Building, 10 New South Wales, 1889. This is a volume of Macquarie Street, Sydney. 110 pages, listing the entire Royal Society col- It is clear that the present dispersal of the lection by author. It is bound with other leaflets Society's library collection is impedi- a major and pamphlets that form part of Mitchell's be- ment to research in the areas of science that are quest (DSM/042/P87). Many of these carry so strongly represented. Ideally, all this mate- Mitchell's signature. Other Royal Society pub- rial should be consolidated into a single entity lications in the Mitchell Library collection were located in central Sydney, as was the case dur- donated by Alfred Lee, and carry his bookplate. ing the years that the Society occupied Science One item in the Society collection that is House in Gloucester Street. This facility could truly unique is a volume containing beautifully become a centre for the study of the develop- arranged but delicate specimens of marine al- ment of scientific activity in New South Wales, gae. The provenance of this book, which re- accessible both to scholars and interested mem- sembles the similar treatment of pressed flowers bers of the public. Indeed, such a Centre could or other botanical specimens during the nine- become a focus for increasing community un- teenth century is revealed by a bookplate inside derstanding of the nature of science, in a time the front cover: when science and technology are viewed with suspicion or indifference by sections of society. Marine Algae Collected and Mounted by The Reverend James Yuill, PROVENANCE Free Kirk Minister of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, 1854 Much of the early material in the collection was Presented to the donated by other institutions or by individual Royal Society of NSW members of the Society. Bookplates sometimes by David Reid identify the original owner. Many of the early 'Holmsdale', Pymble editions are personally inscribed by the authors, 27.10.1920 or the donors. In some cases the pages are uncut, indicating that the volumes have never There can be taxation advantages for the been opened. donors of private libraries to the Royal Society, Amongst the rare volumes are the two parts which may partly account for the large number of Professor J.D. Dana's Volume XIII report on of volumes acquired in this way. 84 TYLER

§ Framed photograph of 'Experimental model of a flying machine made by Lawrence Hargrave, 1890' - image size 36 x 43 cm

§ Framed commemorative poster, Australia sesquicentenary 1938, 'a nation as virile as the

sunlight which animates its people'. Eleven illustrations and short text by C.H. Bertie, mounted on a reproduction painting of eucalypt trees - image size 49 x 37 cm

§ Framed lithograph (unglazed) of 'The distinguished men of science of Great Britain living in the years 1807-8'. Includes portraits and sig- natures of 50 individuals, in a library setting (the Royal Society of London?). Amongst these are Banks, Cavendish, Davy, Herschel, Jenner, A plate from Yuill's Marine Algae 1854; al- Watt. Image size 54 x 31 cm (Needs conserva- though the contents are in good condition, the tion) volume itself needs urgent attention. (Photograph: Robyn Stutchbury) § Unframed mounted photograph H.G. Smith, President 1913. Image size 54 x 39 cm

PORTRAITS AND PHOTOGRAPHS § Unframed mounted and retouched photograph Robert Hunt CMC, Deputy Master, Royal Mint, Sydney (died 27/9/1892). Oval, Also housed in the Society's premises at Dar- image size 51 x 40 cm. (Mount stained) lington are many paintings or photographs of considerable historic interest: § Unframed mounted photograph by Sidney Ri- ley of J.H. Maiden, President 1896 & 1911 - § Framed photograph of Rev. W.B. Clarke, image size 36 x 29 cm known as 'the father of Australian geology' -

48 X 35 cm § Framed photograph of J. A. Pollock in mili- § Framed oil painting of Sir T.W. Edgeworth tary uniform, 'presented to the Royal Society of

David, by Norman Carter (from a photograph) New South Wales by A. Raincloud (?), Septem- - 73 X 59 cm ber 1959'. Image size 25 x 19 cm. (Should be

§ Framed painting of Royal Society seal, de- re-mounted) signed by A. Liversidge, with handwritten de- § Framed portrait engravings of Fellows of the scription of significance of the emblems, c. 1885, Royal Society of London: T.H. Huxley, M. Fara- artist unknown, possibly Liversidge - framed day, C. Darwin, J.C. Maxwell, W. Harvey. Each size 60 X 46 cm [See Appendix A] image approx. 20.5 x 13.5 cm, framed size 39 x § Framed photograph of delegates to Pan- 29 cm. (Mounts stained, frames slightly dam- Pacific Science Congress, University of Sydney, aged - need some conservation work) 24 August 1923 - 19 X 115 cm (Needs re- mounting) § Portfolio labelled 'Prints and Engravings.

§ Framed photograph of 5 Elizabeth Street, Eminent men in the fields of Science and the Sydney, former home of Society. Donated by Arts'. This folder contains many mounted litho- Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, 1967 - im- graph prints (some, perhaps all, donated or be- age size 50 X 39 cm queathed to the Society). These comprise: por-

§ Framed lithograph (?) of W. Spence by T.H. traits of Buffon, John Smeaton, Pascal, W. Har- Maguire, 1849 - image size 29 x 24 cm vey, Newton, Nicolas Bacon, Napoleon, Louis

§ Framed lithograph of J.S. Henslow by T.H. Napoleon (1848), Sir Robert Peel (1846), Wiclif Maguire - 29 x 24 cm (sic), George Edwards, Porson, REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 85

John Locke (1734), Gilbert Burnet (1724), OTHER MEMORABILIA Henry Spelmann, Thomas Martyn & Cam- bridge University (1799), Rene Hauy, Nelson & Other notable items held at Darlington com- Trafalgar (1805), C. Rollin (1763), Mirabeau, prise: Laurens Sterne (1780), Milton (1805), Dr Original bronze plaque attached to Lieutenant Price (1776), G.G. Stokes (1892), Col. Richard § Cook's landing place at Kurnell, commemorat- Lovelace (1794), Nicolas Poussin, Diderot,

ing 'the discovery these shores . . . auspices Dante, Richard Arkwright, Charles Dickens, of the of British Science' James Joseph Graf von Rumford, Alfred Tennyson, Thomas by Cook and Banks, 'the Columbus and Maecenas of their Pennant, Charles Perrault (1694), Peter Lely, time'. Affixed by The Philosophical Society, Jane Grey, Johannes Flamsteed (1712), Sir 1821. - 47 X 38 cm (Restored, but showing some Martin Frobisher, Mungo Park (1820), J. by shotgun pellets?) [See Appendix B]. de Lalande, Voltaire, Earl of Bute, Oliver damage There is also a framed plaster cast (damaged) Cromwell (1728), John Evelyn, William Wol- of this plaque. laston, Aylmer Lambert & deer park, Duke of

Wellington (1839), three unidentified figures. A § Corporate Seal press (c. 1884) with dies for few of these were printed 'Under the Superinten- embossing an early version of Royal Society of dance of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful NSW emblem, based on Royal crest of Queen Knowledge'. Victoria.

§ Of immense historical interest are fourteen A large number of photographs, albums and original drawings by Lawrence Hargrave illus- lantern slides are held at Mitchell Library, on trating the results of his aeronautical research loan from the Society (Box 29). These appear into rigid stable aeroplanes and his designs for to be of considerable historic interest, including lightweight motors to power flying machines. portraits of many of the leading figures in sci- These were later published in the Journal and entific circles late 19^^C - early 20^^C, e.g. Sir Proceedings of the Society in 1895 and 1909, and Alfred Roberts, Lawrence Hargrave, Dr Ander- were used as the basis for further developments son Stuart, J.H. Maiden, Professor John Smith. by aviation pioneers in the United States and There are also lantern slides of early colonial Europe. The drawings are in good condition, Governors Brisbane, FitzRoy, Hunter, King, separated by tissue paper in a large hardboard leading officials such as Sir Alexander Macleay portfolio. and Sir Edward Deas-Thompson, and medicos Balmain and Bland. Lantern slides on aviation dated 1898, Cook's landing place, and Governor Brisbane's Observatory may be unique. Some of the lithographs of famous men (and one woman) could be profitably disposed of through antiquarian bookstores. Mostly they / / are in fine condition, wrapped in tissue paper. The Society may wish to retain a small number of portraits of the giants of science, but many J are prints of notable figures whose achievements were in other fields, e.g. Nelson, Napoleon, Lady .. A3 ..... Jane Grey. These could be valuable acquisitions for people engaged in the restoration and fur- nishing of heritage buildings. One of Hargrave's plates, numbered in the right corner by pencil, 'PI 54', with an annotation in A number of the photographs and what appears to be his handwriting in the lower lithographs held at Darlington are not appro- left corner, 'Plate 6 for L. Hargrave's paper on priately stored, and are likely to suffer damage Aeronautical work'. through careless handling. 86 TYLER

§ Architectural floor plans of Science House, ciety following the commencement of this her-

Gloucester Street, Sydney, by Peddle, Thorp Sz itage survey. These include a carriage clock in a i Walker, 1929. sheets) leather viewing case inscribed with the Society's (3 |

§ Copy of congratulatory memorial presented name, donated by Professor Smith. There are by the Royal Society of NSW to Queen Victo- also some fairly mundane laboratory artefacts ria on the occasion of her Jubilee (1887). Do- used by Faraday in his research, apparently ob- nated to Society by Mrs E. Wilkinson, a descen- tained by Professor Liversidge circa 1908. dant of the Society President C.S. Wilkinson who signed the memorial. ARCHIVES § The bound volume of marine algae collected and mounted by Rev. J. Yuill in 1854 has been The Society offices at Darlington have several mentioned earlier in this Report, under the filing cabinets containing correspondence and fi- 'provenance' section. It would be desirable for nancial records. Based on a preliminary scan, this volume to receive some conservation treat- these files include material of historic interest ment. as well as ephemera and current business records Memorabilia at other locations comprises: of the Society. This material needs to be examined more closely, and archived or discarded as § Royal Society material held at Mitchell Li- appropriate. It is understood that long-serving brary includes a very fine collection of lantern Secretary of the Society Dr Maren Krysko may slides relating to the development of aviation, also have some files relating to her period in of- other objects, and Society members. There fice. are also stereoscopic pictures/slides from the A valuable collection of historic correspon- Franklin Expedition to Antarctica (box 28). Al- dence has been carefully preserved in a bound, though facilities to view early lantern slides are interleaved volume. According to the title difficult to find, this material deserves to be re- page, this comprises 'A collection of letters produced in another format. and ephemera to members of the Society 1878- § Nineteen medallions collected by Professor 1974'. That description is not correct; in fact Liversidge from overseas conferences and exhibi- the 58 items comprise handwritten letters writ- tions between 1867-1902 are held at Mitchell Li- ten between 25 February 1818 and 25 January brary (box 36), on loan from the Society. There 1896. Most are addressed to the Society, but is also an unusual microscope slide scale. These some were sent to members such as pastoralist items have been inspected by the research team. Henry Kater (who presumably donated or be- After minor restoration treatment, these could queathed them to the Society). This correspon- form the basis for a fine visual display illustrat- dence is from such prominent scientists as Sir ing Australia's involvement in nineteenth cen- John Herschel, Douglas Mawson, Charles Dar- tury international science. win, Professor James Dana, Baron von Mueller, Many photographs of Society members and § Louis Pasteur and Professor R.W. Bunsen. functions such as annual dinners are contained Amongst the material of undoubted archival in box 29 at the Mitchell Library. and research significance is a leather-bound § Mitchell Library also holds a pewter inkwell Cash Book recording all transactions between that belongs to the Society (condition or value April 1911 and June 1930, together with a undetermined). matching Ledger for the period 1912-1966. To provide safekeeping during a period of Mitchell Library at the State Library of frequent change of premises, former Secretary NSW is temporarily holding 48 boxes of Royal and President (1975) Mr Edric Chaffer held sev- Society material in its manuscript collection. A eral items belonging to the Society at his home contents list is available from the Mitchell Li-

in Chatswood. With a reasonably secure envi- brary, and a copy is held by the Society, which ronment now available at Darlington, two boxes retains ownership. In 2004, Dr Anna Binnie of these artefacts have been returned to the So- prepared a report for the Royal Society on a REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 87

small part of the collection, including a detailed list because there is no coherent sequence. Some inventory of some cartons. She also partly re- items that have been kept appear to be worth- arranged the collection, so that the Mitchell Li- less - '7 feet rubber tubing' or '1 piece of board' brary contents list now may not be accurate. (box 29).

One carton (box no. 3), containing material At the other extreme are the minutes of the dated 1932-1974, is marked 'not to be accessed Royal Society Council from 1867 to 1914 in box before 2025AD'. This fifty-year embargo appar- 39. Minutes of the preceding Philosophical So- ently relates to unsuccessful candidates for So- ciety of Australasia 1856-1866 are in box 41. A ciety awards and prizes, including the reasons register of members 1856-1888 is in box 45. A for their rejection. Following her inspection, Dr register of subscribers 1912-1941 is in box 33. Binnie recommended: All of these documents are vital to an under-

'That we take possession of it [the material], standing of the history of the Society.

move it into our offices at University of Sydney Historic material relating to the Society Li-

and take on what ever restoration work or brary also is contained within the archives. This preservation work is required. We should includes notes on transfer of part of the collec-

. . . investigate the possibility of lodging this tion to other institutions (box 20), layout of the material in the University of Sydney Archives shelving at Science House (box 28), and a regis- which are located on the top floor of Fisher ter of library users 1890-1954. Folder 9 in box Stack. It would be kept in a controlled library 17 is described as 'Historical Background of the environment, it would be accessible to scholars Royal Society of New South Wales, early Office and there is some security for the material.' Bearers and other items of historical interest in- As noted earlier, some of the material at cluding proposed amendments to the Act of In-

Mitchell Library has been examined cursorily corporation (1976-81)'. Some of this is dupli- as part of the present research. It appears to be cated in filing cabinet drawers in the Society of- a very diverse and somewhat indiscriminate col- fice. Folder 10 in box 17 apparently contains the lection, ranging from vital records such as the original handwritten subject index 1867-1916, minute books of the various sections of the So- and one printed copy (which is not available in ciety between 1876-1989 (boxes 9-11), to petty the Society's own bound set of Journal and Pro- cash books, taxation returns and staff atten- ceedings). dance registers. Financial records are compre- In its own collection, Mitchell Library holds hensive, and have been retained far beyond the original material relating to the Society includ- statutory requirements. Some culling would be ing the minute book of the Philosophical So- desirable. Correspondence relating to property ciety of Australasia from 27 June 1821 to 14 management is significant, particularly during August 1822 (FM3 99). A facsimile of this vol- the Science House period. A bound correspon- ume is held by the State Records Authority of register dence covering the period 1883 to 1911 NSW as well as by the Society. There is also (box 23) provides a useful guide to the activities an item described in the Mitchell Library card of the Society at that time. index as 'Bronze medal of the Royal Society of The material contained in some boxes ap- New South Wales awarded to Thomas White- pears rather haphazard. An example is box legge for a list of the marine and fresh- water in- 28, marked 'fragile'. Amongst the eighteen vertebrate fauna of Port Jackson and the neigh- items listed are lantern slides, printing blocks bourhood, 1889. Presented by Miss Whitelegge, of the Society emblem, a tape recording of the January I960' (R191 EEE). Governor- General's speech, a medal from the 1886 Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London, SECONDARY SOURCES letters about engagement of an office boy, and CONSULTED the 1935 insurance policy. Although these items can be identified from the Mitchell Library list, In preparing this report, a number of secondary it would be easy for researchers to overlook sources have been consulted, as listed in the bib- them when perusing the 49-page typewritten liography. These have been perused for refer- ' '

88 TYLER

ences to the Society, or mention of its leading valry, this is a view that would not have been members and their place in the scientific history shared by citizens of New South Wales. The of Australia. failure of Burke and Wills must have been a However, the select bibliography lists only chastening experience for the Royal Society of a small fraction of the material that is avail- Victoria. Where Manning Clark deals briefly able. The 'Guide to Sources' pubhshed in R. with men of science, his interpretation can be MacLeod (ed.). The Commonwealth of Science fanciful or apocalyptic, describing W.B. Clarke provides a comprehensive (but not exhaustive) as being:^ bibliography up to 1988, when the book was 'on weekdays a geologist and on Sundays a man written. The Historical Records of Australian of God, reminded the members of his Science published by the Australian Academy congregation that gold fed the sinful lusts of

. of Science have included regular bibliographic the flesh . . updates. W.B. Clarke is mentioned in Geoffrey The most sympathetic account of scientific Blainey's The Rush That Never Ended. A His- development in Australia can be found in the tory of Australian Mining. Clarke also rates numerous works of Ann Moyal (Mozley). Yet a passing reference in Blainey's later book A even her overview of scientists in colonial Aus- Shorter History of Australia, although the word tralia, A Bright and Savage Land glosses over 'science' does not appear in the index to this the Royal Society of New South Wales, although volume. the work of a number of its prominent members Something of an exception amongst histori- is discussed. On the other hand, her two-volume ans is John Molony's Penguin Bicentennial His- The Web Science is based on the extensive of tory of Australia where he can find space for correspondence of Rev. Clarke, W.B. and con- AN zAAS, as well as mentions of Royal Society tains many references to the Royal Society. of NSW members W.B. Clarke, Sir Edgeworth Many general histories of Australia pay David, Lawrence Hargrave, Gerard Krefft, and scant attention to colonial scientific endeavour. H.C. Russell. There is even a photograph of The Royal Society of Victoria is mentioned more one of Hargrave's experiments. Molony also ob- - often than its NSW counterpart for example, serves that:^ in connection with Antarctic exploration and for 'Scientific eff'ort was strengthened by the its sponsorship of the ill-fated Burke and Wills foundation of societies which had their model expedition. An example is Manning Clark in in the Royal Society of London (founded 1662). his six-volume A History of Australia. Russel By the 1860s Royal Societies had been formed Ward displays the same bias in Australia Since in New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria and the Coming of Man.^ This Victorian orienta- South Australia . . . the peak of nineteenth tion may reflect the Melbourne origins of many century scientific organization was reached in 1888 with the holding of the inaugural Australian historians, although Clark maintains conference of the Australasian Association for that:"^ . the Advancement of Science . . 'As they saw it, Victoria's duty as the wealthiest and the leading member of the Another exception to the usual pattern is Australian colonies was to succeed where New Beverley Kingston in Volume 3 of the Oxford

South Wales . . . had failed in removing the History of Australia - Glad, Confident Morn- mantle of mystery which lay over the centre of ing, which covers the last four decades of the the continent.' nineteenth century. Kingston points out that

During that period of intense colonial ri- a rich intellectual life was available for those

^ R. Ward, Australia Since the Coming of Man, revised edition, Sydney, 1982, p. 128. C.M.H. Clark, A History of Australia, Vol. IV, The Earth Abideth for Ever 1851-1888, Melbourne, 1978, p. 144. 8 ibid, p. 7. ^ J. Molony, A Penguin Bicentennial History of Australia, Melbourne, 1987, p. 155. ' '

REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 89

so inclined, but most successful men despised pation of many Australian historians with polit- 'useless' knowledge in their pursuit of money. ical and labour history. Given their grounding Nevertheless, she notes that:^^ in the humanities, some of them may feel un- comfortable dealing with the foreign territory 'Scientific research was aided by royal societies

in all colonies except Western Australia. These of the sciences. pre-dated the universities and were mixed Although the Historical Records of Aus- gatherings of gentlemen amateurs and serious tralian Science is a respected journal in the scholars. Wives and daughters collected field, obviously there is scope for considerably botanical specimens and made intricate more scholarly discourse about the role and . drawings . . function of the scientific societies in Australia. Limitations of space presumably restricted any detailed analysis of this theme. She mentions Lawrence Hargrave as a shipwreck sur- HISTORICAL CONTEXT vivor and only incidentally as an aeronautical pioneer. Kingston sees science as a substitute Vice-Regal Support for religion in a materialist society - an alter- native belief system - but she does not pursue The first naval Governors of New South Wales, this notion. in the twenty years from Phillip to Bligh,^^ were Kingston's comment about the mixture of preoccupied with survival in the remote set- amateurs and scholars is borne out by the mem- tlement, and with the management of unruly bership lists of the Royal Society prepared by A. convicts and ambitious military officers. These J. Day. & pressures left them little time for other pursuits. Science and technology receive more cov- When Major-General Lachlan Macquarie erage in general histories discussing twentieth- became Governor in 1810, many of the early century Australia, where find occasional ref- we difficulties had eased. Food supply was as- erences to applied research, particularly in the sured, social structures had become more sta- medical sciences, agriculture, or official through ble, and a few people had become relatively agencies such as CSIRO. The role of professional prosperous. This more secure environment al- scientific societies is overlooked. Writing of the lowed Macquarie to create many of the land- 1920s, Heather Radi claimed that:^^ marks of the new colony, including many fine 'There were no traditions in Australia to public buildings. Essentially a practical man, support the contemplative life against the he played little part in scientific or intellectual

practical. Education was still imbued with life, despite being a collector of natural history

. utihtarian considerations . . specimens, as demonstrated by the recent ac- However, the experience of the Royal Soci- quisition by Mitchell Library of a cedar display ety in New South Wales during the nineteenth chest that belonged to him. Nevertheless, he century suggests that there was indeed an ac- did not share the passion for classification and tive intellectual interest in Australia from the naming of specimens that many of his contem- early days of settlement. poraries exhibited.

LaTrobe University historian David Day ig- The Philosophical Society of Australasia, nores science in his Claiming A Continent. A antecedent of the Royal Society of New South New History of Australia. ANZUS is discussed, Wales, was founded in 1821, the same year that but not ANZAAS; the CIA but not CSIRO. The Macquarie's successor. Sir Thomas Brisbane, emphasis is probably a reflection of the preoccu- became Governor (-General) of New South

B. Kingston, The Oxford History of Australia, Vol. 3, 1860-1900, Glad, Confident Morning, Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1988, p. 91. ^1 H. Radi, '1920-29', in F. Crowley (ed.) A New History of Australia, Melbourne, 1985, p. 391. This statement excludes Acting Governors or Administrators such as Grose, Patterson, Johnston and Foveaux, who were junior army oflflcers. 90 TYLER

Wales. However, as Supreme Court judge Bar- mal relationship between the two bodies, the ron Field reported: ^"^ similar intellectual aspirations became apparent

'I am sorry to add that that infant society soon after the change of name. Each of the six Aus- expired in the baneful atmosphere of distracted tralian colonies eventually established their own politics, which unhappily clouded the short versions of the Royal Society, with that in Tas-

administration of its President, the present mania, founded in 1844 being the first. Governor of New South Wales.' Obviously the Philosophical Society was Three of the colonial governors of New South modelled on the Royal Society of London, which Wales were Fellows of the Royal Society of Lon- through its sponsorship of the Cook and Banks don - Bligh, Brisbane and Denison. WiUiam expedition to the South Pacific, had been a pro- Bligh had no opportunity to pursue his scientific genitor of the European settlement of Australia. interests, but Governors Brisbane and Denison The 'Royal' prefix could not be applied to its both became active in the local counterpart of antipodean imitator until Queen Victoria gave the Royal Society, as did Denison's successor. her assent in 1866. Although there is no for- Sir John Young (Table 1).

1821 Formation of the Philosophical Society of Australasia 1821-1822 Major-General Sir Thomas Brisbane. He was an astronomer of note, whose papers were published by the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Astronomical Society of London.

1850 Formation of the Australian Philosophical Society 1850-1855 Hon. Edward Deas-Thomson, Colonial Secretary.

1856 Philosophical Society of New South Wales 1855-1860 Sir William Denison. Papers presented: 09.05.1856 'On the development of the railway system in England, with suggestions as to its application to the Colony of New South Wales' 12.11.1856 'Irrigation' 08.07.1857 'On the Moon's rotation' 12.08.1857 'On railways' 08.09.1858 'On the filtration of water through sand' 10.08.1859 'On the dental system of mollusca' 19.09.1860 'On bridge building' 1861-1865 Sir John Young

1866 Royal Society of New South Wales 1866-1867 Sir John Young (now President of The Royal Society of New South Wales Paper presented: 13.08.1862 'On the performance of the A.S.N. Go's steamer Diamantina from Sydney to Brisbane and return to Sydney' 1868-1872 Earl of Belmore (President) 1872-1879 Sir Hercules Robinson (President) 1879-1885 Lord Loftus (President, 1879, Honorary President 1880-5) 1885-1890 Lord Carrington (Honorary President) 1891-1893 Earl of Jersey (Honorary President) 1893-1895 Sir Robert Duff (Honorary President) 1895-1899 Viscount Hampden (Honorary President) 1899-1901 Earl Beauchamp (Honorary President until 1900)

Table 1. Presidents of the Royal Society of NSW from 1821 to 1901.

13 B. Field, Geographical Memoirs on New South Wales, London, 1825, p. v. REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 91

This involvement slieds new light on the in- amateur, products of the Age of Enlightenment. terests and responsibilities of early Governors, As knowledge expanded and became more spe- some of whom, despite being military or naval cialised it became impossible for any one person men were active in the intellectual life of the to have a sound grasp of each branch. Ulti- Colony. A fruitful research topic for historical mately this reached the stage where there was research would be a study of Governors as men hardly any common ground, and practitioners of science rather than as colonial administra- of different disciplines found it difficult to com- tors. municate. Sir Charles Snow was later to write Although later Governors held the posi- about the 'two cultures' of the arts and the sci- tion of President, management of the Society ences, but within science the gulfs were just as was effectively delegated to the elected Vice- wide. Despite this chasm, the Royal Society President. The first elected President was Pro- has always attempted to provide a forum for fessor John Smith from the University of Syd- the meeting of minds. ney, took office in 1880. The incumbent who In any case, it is not entirely clear that the Governors then accepted the ceremonial posi- fragmentation into specialist societies was only tion of Honorary President: due to scientific barriers. The personalities and After Federation in 1901, the Governor- ambitions of leading protagonists could also be General of the Commonwealth became Patron a factor - this certainly seems to be the case of the Society, with the State Governor as Vice- when Sir Alexander Macleay and his coterie of Patron. From 1938 it became the practice for followers founded the Linnean Society in 1874. both Vice-Regal representatives to accept ap- The internal politics of colonial scientific soci- pointment as Patrons of the Society, although eties and the relationship with their respective occasionally the Governor-General declined. colonial museums could serve as a research topic

in its own right.

From Gentlemen Amateurs to New South Wales was the first colony to be established in Australasia and has remained Scholarly Research the most populous state, with over one-third of

Until the middle of the nineteenth century, most the Australian population, yet its achievements scientific effort in the colonies took the form of have sometimes been neglected by historians. collection and description of the unique flora This paucity of research into the history of New and fauna or identification of geological fea- South Wales is being redressed in 2006 as a re- tures. This was understandable, given the pre- sult of substantial funding for publications to occupation with survival by exploiting the natu- commemorate the Sesqui-centenary of Respon- ral resources of a strange new continent. Speci- sible Government mens were collected avidly, then sent to England Rivalry between the colonies was endemic for further analysis. The Colonial Museum, during the second half of the nineteenth cen- later to become the Australian Museum, began tury, the period when the various Royal So- collecting in 1827 but it was not until the es- cieties were established. Customs barriers at tablishment of the University of Sydney in 1850 colonial borders and differing railway gauges that it became possible to conduct laboratory- served to perpetuate tensions that were only based research in New South Wales. The uni- partially relieved after Federation. Following versity also provided a cadre of trained scien- the goldrushes of the 1850s, Victoria became tific researchers. These developments formed the dominant colony due to its economic pros- the foundation for the revival of the Philosoph- perity. It is interesting to speculate whether ical Society and its successors, and should be political rivalries carried over into the activi- explored in more detail. ties of the six Royal Societies. A comparative In the 1850s there was a common core of study of these Societies might reveal new in- scientific understanding possessed by many ed- sights into the competitive nature of some sci- ucated men. This was the age of the gentleman entific research. 92 TYLER

The cross-disciplinary nature of the Soci- riography ignores the scientific and intellectual ety's activities (and collections) is notable. This forces within the six colonies that later became has persisted even after the formation of special- a nation. If referred to at all, innovations or ist bodies. The breadth of the Society's con- individuals are dismissed in a sentence or two, cerns is shown not only by the diversity of arti- with no attempt to place them in the broader cles in the Journal and Proceedings but also by context of the evolving society. These omissions the professional disciplines of the people elected suggest that there may be serious distortions in as President of the Society. These are enumer- Australian history as commonly understood. ated in Appendix C. An interesting historical sidelight is that the A notable feature of early membership lists Royal Society of NSW was an official reposi- of the Society is the significant number of min- tory for international patents until the Com- isters of religion. Some of the leading Aus- monwealth Patents Office was established in the tralian scientists of the mid- nineteenth century 1930s. Unfortunately, there do not appear to followed this profession, such as Rev. W.B. be any surviving records of this function within

Clarke and Father J.E. Tenison-Woods. These the Society; presumably the relevant files were were amongst the few men in the Colony with transferred to the government agency, although a tertiary education. Furthermore, the nature the National Archives may hold some relevant of their occupation allowed them to pursue sci- material. entific inquiries without the restrictions of regular working hours that other men faced. Minis- ters and priests contributed many scholarly pa- SIGNIFICANCE pers to the Society Transactions or Journal and Proceedings. It must be remembered that this Joseph Dyer wrote in 1858, in his preface to the took place at a time when the gulf between sci- first issue of The Sydney Magazine of Science ence and religion appeared to be widening as and Art, that New South Wales was still 'a com- new theories (e.g. Darwin) displaced Biblical munity where politics, professional occupations certainty. A rewarding area for further study or mercantile pursuits engross nearly the whole would be the contribution of clerics to the ad- population.' He observed that the colony: vancement of science in New South Wales. The 'can yet boast few gentlemen of leisure who feel annals of the Royal Society would yield much pride and interest in pursuing science for its information for this research. own sake, and are ready to devote both time and money to its advancement. Such a class will doubtless arise, especially now that science A National Organisation is becoming fashionable under the auspices of Governor, Sir The Royal Society was influential in the es- our energetic and sagacious William Denison.' tablishment of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science in 1888, particu- Despite the sycophantic tone, his doubts larly through the lobbying of Professor Liver- seemed justified when he announced in the sec- sidge. This later became known as the Aus- ond issue, twelve months later, that there were tralian and New Zealand Association for the too few subscribers to justify continuing with Advancement of Science (anzaas), and for a the publication, because 'the constant attention period was the gathering of choice for profes- to business, which is characteristic of colonial sional scientists. Its influence declined in recent life, appears very unfriendly to the development years with the proliferation of specialist bodies, of a taste for science, literature and art.' so that we have again reached the stage where Cynics might suggest that nothing much has scientists cannot speak with a unified voice. changed in the following century and a half. As noted earlier, much of Australian histo- Another writer of the time despaired that the

J. Dyer, The Sydney Magazine of Science and Art, Vol. I, 1858. ibid. Vol. II, 1859. REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 93

'public mind is most anxiously directed to the fields, not least the history of science. The his-

wretched condition of the roads of the colony, tory and philosophy of science is taught as a and when even the streets of the metropolitan separate academic discipline in both the Uni- city are in a state of dangerous decay' there versity of Sydney and the University of New was little inclination to explore abstract ideas South Wales (as well as some interstate universi- or discuss new inventions. Again, little has ties). Courses are offered at both undergraduate changed, the pessimists would argue. and postgraduate levels, suggesting that there Nevertheless, the situation was not as dire is considerable interest in this field. Further- as Dyer proclaimed. From his own statement, more, the collections should provide a valuable - the Royal Society had 178 members in 1858, resource for scholars in other historical areas which was probably a healthy complement of social, cultural, intellectual, administrative, po- - the colony's educated men. Obviously this num- litical, mining history, for instance in addition ber was insufficient to sustain a viable commer- to academic disciplines such as sociology or eco- cial publication; yet only nine years later in 1867 nomics. the Society began to publish its own journal. At present, the majority of this important collection is inaccessible because of its disper- In the preparation of this Report it became sal around several locations, and the lack of a clear that the resources of the Royal Society viable catalogue. of it is housed in provide unrivalled insight into the rich scien- Much unsat- isfactory conditions that may result in rapid de- tific and intellectual life of New South Wales terioration. Efforts without from early colonial times. The Royal Society must be made delay to preserve this vital component of Australia's and its predecessors give a new perspective on intellectual heritage. aspects of nineteenth century life that are far removed from the historical stereotypes of con- One of the great contributions of the Royal victs, squatters, gold diggers and bushrangers. Society of New South Wales to Australian science may have been its function as sire, midwife The Royal Society was at the forefront of dis- and nursemaid for a host of other associations. course on many of the most contentious issues As noted previously, the parallel development that engaged the international world of science. of Royal Societies in the other five colonies is Prominent members like Clarke and Krebbs cor- an important question that should be explored responded with Charles Darwin about his theo- in more depth. Did they work together in the ries of evolution, at a time when such views were advancement of science, or were they competi- deeply unpopular in Australia, and regarded by tors? many as heresy. Later members of the Society were early proponents of the concept of conti- nental drift and plate tectonics at a time when RECOMMENDATIONS most of the geological establishment ridiculed such notions. As part of the conditions of the Community An ongoing debate that was particularly rel- Heritage Grant, the Royal Society of New South evant to the Australian scene was the division Wales has given an undertaking (Clause 8) that: between pure science and applied technology. (a) the materials to be preserved are part of the

There were members of the Society in both collection of the organisation . . . and that these camps, yet they were able to work together. are legally owned or held by that organisation A brief perusal of the Journal and Proceedings (b) the materials are, or will be made, accessible will reveal papers dealing with theoretical issues to the public; and alongside articles aimed at increased economic (c) in addition to physical access, bibliographic development. access will be ensured where appropriate - not Much of the material in the collections pro- only to users of the organisation, but as widely vides a valuable resource for researchers in many as possible to other Australian libraries and or-

'Boydell's patent endless railway - the Megaethon', The Sydney Magazine of Science and

Art, Vol. I, 1858, p. 15 94 TYLER

ganisations. The National Library of Australia floor, transferring the administrative office to will also list the applicant's collection in one of the higher floor. This would also provide easier the bibliographic services. access to the collection by researchers. In view of the limited time available for this Recommendation 6 - That appropriate project, and the small budget allocated, it has smoke alarms be installed. not been possible to provide a comprehensive Recommendation 7 - That each item on the appraisal for this Report. Nevertheless there shelf list of material in the Darlington collection has been a judicious examination of key ele- be checked against national library databases to ments of the collection. determine the uniqueness or rarity of each item Detailed proposals concerning the conserva- in Australia. tion and preservation of individual items as well Recommendation 8 - That the collection be collection are of as the as a whole course the pruned of material that is already widely avail- province of a specialised consultant, and will be able in Australia. This will provide additional the subject of a separate report. space for library material relocated to Darling- In accordance with the objectives of this ton. Surplus items may be sold to produce ad- Heritage study, the historical significance of the ditional revenue, or donated to other libraries. Royal Society collections has been identified. Recommendations are made in relation to the measures that should be taken immediately to Priority B: preserve a valuable collection for the benefit of Recommendation 9 - That the Society take the Australian community. As part of the as- steps to house all the disparate elements of its sessment process, it has been possible to iden- collection under appropriate conditions in the tify a number of proposals that may be inves- one location in central Sydney, to form the nu- tigated when resources are available. Some of cleus of a Centre for the Study and Promotion these could become topics for postgraduate or of Scientific Activity in New South Wales. undergraduate research students, after the So- Recommendation 10 - That the Society col- ciety collections become accessible. lection temporarily held by Mitchell Library be fully described and culled of extraneous mate- Priority A: rial that has no archival or historic significance. - Recommendation 1 - That action be insti- Recommendation 11 That the Society col- gated urgently to restore or repair items in the lection temporarily held by Mitchell Library be Darlington library that have been identified as relocated to the Society's own premises when in need of conservation treatment. This includes this becomes possible. This action was recom- both books and photographs etc. See the report mended by Dr Anna Binnie. (p. 19) from Dr Branagan. Recommendation 12 - All Society material

Recommendation 2 - That the shelf list of that is presently held by individual members material in the Darlington collection be con- should be returned to the Society for appropri- verted to a full library catalogue on Dewey Dec- ate conservation and storage. imal system as soon as resources permit, and Recommendation 13 - That funding be shelved accordingly. sought to digitise the important collection of Recommendation 3 - That the complete historic lantern slides and other visual mate- Royal Society library catalogue be included on rial. This might then be made available to re- national library databases. searchers and the general public through the na- Recommendation 4 - That the Society col- tional 'Pictures Australia' database. lection temporarily housed in a warehouse at Recommendation 14 - That loose copies of Prestons be relocated and catalogued as a mat- the Journal and Proceedings between 1996-2006 ter of urgency. be hard-bound in order to provide a complete Recommendation 5 - That the Darlington run of this publication in a consistent, secure library collection be relocated to the ground format. REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 95

Recommendation 15 - That action be com- Recommendation 23 That a scholar of menced to compile a complete index to articles Australian colonial history be encouraged to in the Journal and Proceedings since its incep- study the role of colonial Governors as men of tion. Some work has already been undertaken science rather than as colonial administrators. earlier years, but this needs to be integrated for Recommendation 24 That suitable schol- index. into a comprehensive ars be encouraged to explore the relationship 16 - That a complete run Recommendation between science and religion in mid-nineteenth of the Society Bulletin/Newsletter be compiled, century Australia, as shown by the contribu- or otherwise stored in a satisfactory and bound tions from religious clerics. manner. It may be possible to acquire missing Recommendation 25 - That research be en- issues from the State Library or Parliamentary couraged into the internal politics that resulted Library legal deposit, or from individual Society in a proliferation of colonial scientific societies. members' personal files. Recommendation 17 - That the collection of Recommendation 26 - That a comparative lithographs and prints be carefully examined to study be undertaken into the origins and devel- determine whether this material is relevant for opment of each of the six colonial/state Royal the Royal Society collection, and that surplus Societies in Australia, and their contribution to items be disposed of through dealers in anti- Australian science. quarian prints. Recommendation 27 - That research be un- Recommendation 18 - That a comprehen- dertaken to trace the development of the Soci- sive history of the Society be commissioned to ety's emblem. This has changed several times trace its origins and development over a period over the years, with different versions appear- of 185 years, placed into the broader context ing on the same issues of bound journals, for of Australian history. Several Society members instance. have written articles on the history of the Soci- Recommendation 28 - That a biographical ety, but these need to be consolidated and up- register of Society members be compiled for the dated. hundred years from 1867-1966. Alan Day has prepared a comprehensive biographical register Priority C: of the Society from 1850-1866. This would be a valuable resource for future research into the Recommendation 19 - That the filing cab- significance of the Society. inets in the Darhngton office of the Society be - carefully examined to determine the archival Recommendation 29 That historians be value of non-current items, with redundant or invited to explore the role of women 'behind insignificant material culled as appropriate. the scenes' in the development of the Society, Recommendation 20 - That a suitable cabi- particularly during the period before 1935 when net or panel be acquired in order to display the they were not ehgible for membership. extensive collection of medallions and commemorative plaques that are in the Society's possession. Priority D - Long-term Objectives: Recommendation 21 - That a research project be commissioned to study the subse- - the quent scientific careers and achievements of win- Recommendation 30 That complete Proceedings digitised, ners of the various Awards and Medals pre- Journal and be and made available sented by the Society. Did they progress to through the society's website. greater achievements, or drift into obscurity? Recommendation 31 - That negotiations Recommendation 22 - That a research take place with other scientific societies in New project investigate the long-term benefits of South Wales with a view to estabhshing a peak

Summer Schools in creating greater scientific body that can represent the interests of all in- awareness amongst schoolchildren. volved. 96 TYLER

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY Kingston, B. The Oxford History of Australia, Vol. 3, 1860-1900, Glad, Confident Morniiig, Books and Articles Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1988.

MacLeod, Roy (ed.) The Commonwealth of Sci- Australian Academy of Science. Historical ence. ANZAAS and the Scientific Enterprise Records of Australian Science. in Australasia, Melbourne, Oxford University Blainey, G. The Rush That Never Ended. A Press, 1988. History of Australian Mining, Melbourne, Maiden, J.H. 'A contribution to a history of the 1963. Royal Society of New South Wales', Journal Blainey, G. A Shorter History of Australia, Mel- and Proceedings the Royal Society New bourne, Heinemann, 1994. of of South Wales, Vol. LII, 1918, 215-361. Branagan, D.F. 'Words, Actions, People: 150 pp. years of the scientific societies in Australia', Molony, J. The Penguin Bicentennial History of Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society Australia, Ringwood, Viking, 1987. of New South Wales, Vol. 104, 1972, pp. 123- Moyal, Ann. Scientists in Nineteenth Century 141. Australia. A Documentary History, Sydney, Browne, W.R. 'The Royal Society of New South CasseU, 1976. Wales (Scientific Societies in Australia 6)', Moyal, Ann. Invention and Innovation in Proceedings of the Royal Australian Chemical Australia: the Historian's Lens, Brisbane, Institute, March 1961, pp. 100-9. Department of Economics, University of Clark, C.M.H. A History of Australia, 6 vol- Queensland, 1986.

umes, Melbourne University Press, 1962- Moyal, Ann. A Bright and Savage Land: Sci- 1987. entists in Colonial Australia, Sydney, Collins, Crowley, F. (ed.)^ New History of Australia, 1986. (Revised edition, Melbourne, Penguin, Melbourne, Heinemann, 1985. 1993) Day, A. A. & Day, J.A.F. 'A biographical regis- Moyal, Ann. The Web of Science. The Scien- ter of members of the Australian Philosoph- tific Correspondence of the Rev. W.B. Clarke, ical Society (1850-55) and the Philosophical Australia's Pioneer Geologist, Vol. 1, 1836- Society of New South Wales (1856-66)', Jour- 63, Vol. 2, 1864-78, Melbourne, Austrahan nal and Proceedings the Royal Society of of Scholarly Publishing, 2003. New South Wales, [Part I] Vol. 117, 1984, pp. Mozley, Ann. A Guide to the Manuscript 119-127, [Part II] Vol. 129, 1996, pp. 123-132. Records of Australian Science, Canberra, Day, David. Claiming a Continent. A New Australian Academy of Science with ANU History of Australia, Sydney, Harper Collins, Press, 1966. 2001. Royal Society of NSW. Catalogue of the Scien- Dixson Library. A Catalogue of The Royal Soci- tific Books in the Library of the Royal Society ety of New South Wales Collection, Armidale, of New South Wales, Sydney, F.W. White, University of New England, 1989. 1889. (Held by Mitchell Library, David Scott Ellis, Judith (ed.) Keeping Archives. Mel- Mitchell Collection) bourne, D.W. Thorpe, in association with the Australian Society of Archivists, 1993. Royal Society of NSW. List of Periodicals Re- ceived Regularly by the Society 's Library, Syd- Field, Barron (ed.) Geographical Memoirs on ney, Royal Society, 1935. New South Wales by Various Hands, London, John Murray, 1825. Royal Society of NSW. A Century of Scien- Heritage Collections Council. Significance. A tific Progress. The Centenary Volume of the Guide to Assessing the Significance of Cul- Royal Society of New South Wales, Sydney, tural Heritage Objects and Collections, Can- Royal Society, 1966. berra, Commonwealth of Australia, 2001. Royal Society of NSW. 'History of the Royal So- Home, R.W. 'History of Science', in The Aus- ciety of New South Wales', typescript, 7 pp.,

tralian Encyclopaedia, Vol. 7, Sydney, 1988. author unknown, undated (post- 1959). .

REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 97

Serle, Geoffrey. The Creative Spirit in Aus- Libraries Australia:

tralia. A Cultural History, (Originally pub- http : //librariesaustralia . nla gov . au/ . lished as F7V7H Deserts the Prophets Com.e), apps/kss

Melbourne, Heineniann, 1987. Linnean Society: http://www.acay.com.au/ Sydney Magazine of Scierice and A7% Vol. 1, ~linnsoc/inf o .html 1857, Vol. 2, 1859. (Held by Mitchell Library) Picture Australia: Ward, Russel. Australia Since the Coming of http: //www. pictureaustralia. org/ Man, Sydney, Lansdowne Press, 1982. Royal Society of New South Wales:

http : //nsw . royalsociety . org . au Internet Websites

Bright Spares (Australian Science Archives

Project) : http : //www . asap . unimelb . edu au/bsparcs/biogs

APPENDICES

Appendix A - The Society Emblem of industry; the caduceus indicates the Medical & Sanitary Sections and also stands for A framed painting of the emblem, with explana- Commerce. The Royal Crown and Lion are charges of the Royal Arms and show the tory handwritten inscription, hangs in the So- connection with the Old Country; the serpent is ciety's rooms in Darlington. According to the symbolic of wisdom and of the continuity of the inscription the emblem was designed by 'A. Liv- Society, which the encircling cable and garter ersidge, Hon. Sec'. represents the Unity of the Society as a whole.' 'In the above Seal most of the charges have a

double significance i.e. they each represent one Notes: 1. Liversidge makes a common mistake of the sections of the Society and have a by attributing the caduceus to medicine, a prac-

' symboHc meaning as well, as follows:- tice that apparently originated with the U.S.

'The retort and condenser expresses the Army Medical Corps in the nineteenth century. Chemical Section, the crossed pick and hammer The caduceus, a winged staff with two entwined with fossils and crystal represent the Geological serpents was actually the symbol of Hermes & Mineralogical Section and are symbolic of the (Mercury), the messenger of the Gods in clas- mineral resources of the Colony; the rising sun sical mythology. The symbol of medicine and stars, and the crest of the Colony, also health is the staff of Asklepios (Aesculapius), represent the Astronomical and Physical God of medicine, which is entwined by a single Section; the Golden Fleece is symbolic of the serpent and without wings. country's Pastoral resources; the acorns and the 2. The acorn and bee are curious symbols to bee stand for the Botanical & Zoological adopt, as they are introduced species that are Sections, and are further respectively symbolic not Australia. of the small beginnings of the Society and native to 98 TYLER

Appendix B - The Kurnell Plaque Occupation No. of Presidents 1880-1961 brass plaque x 38 cm) A (47 commemorating Chemist 14 the landing of James and Joseph Banks Cook Geologist 10 at Kurnell was affixed to the rocks on Inscrip- Engineer 6 tion Point near the landing site on Wednesday, Physicist 5 20 March 1822, the year after the Philosophical Agriculturalist 3 Society of Australasia was founded. As Presi- Astronomer 3 dent of the Society, Governor Sir Bris- Thomas Biochemist 3 joined the party went to bane who Botany Bay Botanist 3 to fix the plaque to the rocks 25 feet about (8 Anthropologist 2 metres) above sea level, and to drink a toast to Mathematician 2 and Banks. notable astronomer es- Cook A who Medical practitioner 2 tablished an observatory at Government House, Palaeontologist 2 Parramatta, Thomas Brisbane was a Fellow of Zoologist 2 the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh, Auditor 1 and a corresponding member of the Institute of Bacteriologist 1 France. ^'^ Microbiologist 1 The original plaque is now held at the Royal Palaeobotanist 1 Society premises in Darlington. It appears Physiologist 1 to have undergone some conservation work, al- Statistician 1 though it still bears small indentations that may Surveyor 1 have been caused by shotgun pellets. The Soci- Veterinary surgeon 1 ety also holds a plaster cast of the plaque made in 1895 - including the indentations - which is Although there appears to be a preponder- framed and mounted behind glass. The bot- ance of chemists and geologists, this is a little tom left corner of the plaster cast is broken, deceptive. A number of the other occupations but could be repaired. Several other casts were could be grouped under a broad discipline such made at the same time, but it is not known as 'life sciences', although this field of knowledge whether these survive. is more the province of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, which for many years shared premises with the Royal Society of New South Appendix C - Scientific Disciplines of Wales. Society Presidents By the time this survey commenced (1880), Many scientific disciplines are represented by the period of the 'gentleman-amateur' that the people who were elected as President of the characterised the early years of the Society was Society between 1880 and 1961. This is indica- giving place to professional scientists. tive of the broad range of interests shared by members of the Society. Although a President During the 1960s, the rules of the Society customarily served only for a single year, several were altered to permit the President to hold of- have served another term after a gap of some fice for two successive years. This has facilitated years. These are only enumerated once in this greater continuity in policy, as well as making table. reform easier to achieve.

See Historical Records of Australian Science, Vol. 15, No. 2, December 2004 for three papers on Brisbane and his work. Other memorials to Cook and Banks were later erected at Kurnell closer to the actual landing site, and more accessible to visitors. REPORT ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 99

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author extends his appreciation to the John Hardie, Jak and Irene Kelly, and Robyn Royal Society of New South Wales for the op- Stutchbury. portunity to participate in this project. Spe- cial thanks are due to individual Society mem- Photographs used in this report are by bers who provided assistance and advice: David Robyn Stutchbury, Peter Tyler and the Historic Branagan, Alan Buttenshaw, Edric Chaffer, Houses Trust.

Dr Peter Tyler, BA, MLitt, PhD, GradDipAdEd, HonFAIEH Consultant Historian, Peter J Tyler Associates Vice-President, Professional Historians' Association, NSW Life Member, National Trust of Australia (NSW) Member, Australian Historical Association

Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, Vol. 139, p. 101-123, 2006 ISSN 0035-9173/06/0200101 23 $4.00/1

The Royal Society of New South Wales

Report on the Cultural, Historical and Scientific Significance

of the Society's Library and its State of Preservation

DAVID BRANAGAN

Keywords: Royal Society of NSW, Library Collection, Community Heritage Grant

INTRODUCTION tific literature, from astronomy to zoology, but with major material on geology, botany, scien-

Some 750 volumes in the Society's library have tific and naturalist societies and catalogues of been individually examined. The value of each major exhibitions. item has been estimated based on four primary The collection contains original material by criteria: (1) historic, (2) aesthetic, (3) illus- the pioneer aeronautic researcher, Lawrence trative, and (4) scientific, research or techni- Hargrave. cal. Modifiers such as representativeness; rar- The library contains a collection of the works ity; condition, completeness or intactness and of Archibald Liversidge, including unique sci- integrity; and interpretive potential have been entific notes. The influence of Liversidge on taken into consideration during the assessment. the development of Australian Science is evi- For this collection the two criteria of most dent from the collection. significance are (1) and although a few (4), While the collection has considerable value items fall into the other two categories. Nev- in its own right, more significantly, it also has ertheless some volumes of historic and scientific important cultural and historical value, indicat- importance also are important from either or ing the strength of cultural and scientific inter- both aesthetic and illustrative categories. est by a dedicated colonial society. The items regarded as being most valuable This library, consisting of an estimated are set out in Table 1 (pages 102-107). 45 000 volumes has been in existence for at least The state of preservation of each volume has 135 years. Including, as it does, material from been assessed and five grades assigned to sep- even earlier Australian colonial times, it encap- arate those volumes needing most urgent at- sulates much of the history of science, often car- tention, (some 5%), and a further 5% needing ried out in difficult economic and practical con- dome repair, from the remainder of the collec- ditions, in New South Wales - and indeed of tion which varies in individual condition from Australia - for more than 150 years. The signif- moderate (the greater portion of the collection) icance of the collection has been gradually lost to fine. sight of by successive NSW State governments. The items in most need of urgent preservation attention are listed in Appendix 1. The conditions in which the library are The Most Significant Volumes presently housed have been examined. These are not satisfactory for a library of this value. The most significant volumes appear in Table 1

A temporary improvement would be to move it on the following pages. These have been se- downstairs in the Society's rooms. A truly sat- lected from a list of some 750 items held at the isfactory solution would be to move the library Society's rooms after the short-listing of over into the space it once occupied in Science House. 130 volumes assessed as significant. Making the The Library covers the widest range of scien- selection was very difficult. I 11 ,

102 BRANNAGAN

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THE BRIEF ered by the Society's then librarian and Council to be important, in every sense of the word, and In November 2005 the Royal Society was worthy of retention at the Society's head office awarded a Community Heritage Grant to fund a in Sydney. These volumes were included in a Significance and Preservation Survey of its col- summary listing this author made of the Soci- lections. Details of the reason for the grant and ety's holdings, when they were housed at the its full scope are given in Dr Peter Tyler's Re- Macquarie University site in 2000. It was not port on the Historical Significance of the collec- possible, in the limited time available for the re- tions, which is presented separately and which cent inspection, to carry out a complete check should be read before this report. The outline of these volumes in storage, so the range of age of the history of the Society is also given in Dr and condition still need to be assessed. How-

Tyler's report and should be referred to, as it is ever a brief statement is given of the sampling relevant to the vicissitudes of the Library since carried out there (Appendix 3) with a listing of the formation of the Society. His report gives the sample items examined. information on the various moves of the Soci- I have previously examined the Serials be- ety since its foundation. These need not be re- longing to the Society now held in the Library peated here in any detail, but occasional ref- of the University of New England, but not for erence will be made where such activities have this present assessment. A copy of the catalogue been particularly relevant to the condition and of these holdings, prepared by the University of accessibility of the Society's Library. New England and the Society (1989) is available. INDIVIDUAL EXAMINATION OF Other material belonging to the Society is held temporarily in care by the Mitchell Library.

THE LIBRARY'S BOOKS Most of this material is essentially archival (see Dr Tyler's report), but there are signifi- role in the project has been to examine the My cant artefacts listed and described by Dr Tyler. individual volumes, and to assess, in as far as Some at least of these archives relate to the his- possible, their significance based on cultural, tory of the Society's Library. historical and scientific criteria as weU as their physical condition. An attempt has been made to assign values to each volume or set of vol- HISTORY OF THE LIBRARY umes within the framework of the four primary criteria set out in the grant requirements. For The Library of the Society has gone through a a listing of the volumes regarded as most sig- number of stages, related mainly to the physical nificant in one or other of the categories, see moves of its headquarters, which the Society has Table 1. A listing of other significant volumes made over the years since its formation in the is in Appendix 2. 1870s. The resources of the Library have natu-

Between February and May 2006 I have ex- rally been affected by the various phases of ac- amined some 750 titles, including some long tivity of the Society, which has been a function runs of journals, in the rooms of the Royal So- of both residence, economic stability or other- ciety of New South Wales at 121 Darlington St. wise, and variations in scientific activity within Chippendale, leased from the University of Syd- New South Wales. ney. The Society has had an Honorary Librarian Approximately 9000 volumes, mainly of since its earliest years, and this position contin- older serials, are presently in temporary storage ues today. At various times in the past the So- at Prestons near Liverpool. Many of these were ciety had paid library staff, particularly when retained in Sydney when the bulk of the serials, the library was functioning at Science House, some 30 000 volumes, was moved to the Univer- Gloucester Street, up to the 1970s. At present sity of New England in the 1980s. It is clear the major task of the Honorary Librarian is to that the presently stored volumes were consid- ensure the recording and transfer of incoming CULTURAL, HISTORICAL k SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE 109

periodicals from around the globe to the hold- were retained. The Linnean Society's section in- ings at the University of New England, Armi- cluded a large collection of offprints supplied by dale, mentioned above. The reason for the authors from every part of the world. These

placement of these holdings is explained later proved particularly useful in the days before in this report. rapid copying was available. That reprint col-

lection has now been dispersed. As far as I am The Library became well established dur- aware the Linnean Society's books are lodged ing the Society's first residence at 5 Elizabeth in the Library of the University of New South Street, Sydney from 1874. At this stage it pro- Wales, but I am not aware of whether or not the vided a somewhat specialist adjunct of scientific conditions involved loan or donation. The Insti- publications to those in the State Library and tution of Engineers maintained its own library, those of State Departments, such as the Depart- which was quite specialised. ment of Mines, the Royal Botanic Gardens, and the University of Sydney and the Technical Col- In 1934 the Royal Society became aware of lege. The wide range of journals already being serious defalcation by its then Treasurer, and obtained on exchange, from both Australasian lost considerable money, which was never re- and international sources, was widely appreci- covered. However the Society continued to op- ated and used. Prior to 1900 Society funds - erate, albeit in more restrained circumstances. probably aided by a government subsidy - al- This certainly limited spending on special bind- lowed the Society to carry out a considerable ing, except for exceptional items, and limited amount of fine binding using ornamental cloth the purchase of specialist books. Neverthe-

covers, leather spines and corners, including the less the Library operated at its most success-

addition to the titles of the Society's 'logo'; a ful, and the large exchange system continued. small version on spines and a larger version on It was efficiently maintained, with some paid covers. The binding was done by Sydney firms, staff, long hours, lending facilities and good ac- among which was John Sands. This binding cess for members and the scientific community program was particularly important in preserv- at large. This excellent scientific operation con- ing those publications originally issued in paper- tinued until the 1970s. back, including numerous limited government When the Government decided to offer the issues, and the reports of local societies. While building to various sporting bodies (it became the bulk of these volumes is in relatively good Sports House in 1976) the Society was offered condition, some of the most heavily used now cash compensation. The Society, in association require some restoration or repair. with the Linnean Society, bought a property In the 1920s the scientific and technical soci- at 35 Clarence St Sydney, and the combined eties of New South Wales were heartened by the Library was re-established. Unfortunately the news that a building dedicated to Science would move to Clarence Street coincided with a down- be provided by the State for a nominal rent. turn in the economy and the building failed to The State Government would retain ownership attract lessees. The Societies abandoned the of the land. This encouragement was a great project after considerable loss in 1983. boost to Science. Science House, in Gloucester The continuing exchange of journals, mainly Street, was constructed and leased by the State from international sources, increased the pres- Government to the main lessees. The Royal So- sure on the Royal Society. At this time the ciety of New South Wales, Linnean Society of Society entered into negotiations with the Uni- New South Wales and the Institution of Engi- versity of New England to house much of this neers, Australia. It became available in 1931 material. This resulted in the bulk of the seri- and a number of smaller scientific and technical als being transferred to Armidale in 1983, and, Societies also occupied offices. as mentioned earlier, a catalogue of this mate- A joint Library was set up consisting of rial was prepared. At this time there was a quite the holdings of the libraries of the Royal and large active Society Branch at Armidale, mainly Linnean Societies, although separate catalogues consisting of academics. 110 BRANNAGAN

The Royal Society, through the good grace sional gifts of books continues, and the Society's of Macquarie University then moved to a house journal consequently also contiimes to reach an in the grounds of that University, at North international audience, the value of the Library Ryde, within the lease of the Robert Menzies as an accessible resource for scientific and his- College. There the Library, including a number torical research has considerably diminished. of the old serials mentioned earlier was housed in a series of large enclosed glass bookcases, while the separate books were housed in sev- EVIDENCE FROM THE BOOKS eral smaller enclosed glass bookcases. However Particular periods in the Library's history can the venue could not be operated over the whole be noted in various ways through examination period of a business week, so library access was of the volumes. The fine binding, with the Soci- quite limited and lending and library use de- ety's 'logo', in the 1890s, has already been men- creased, although cataloguing continued, partic- tioned. ularly for the incoming serials, which were then There are at least three phases of forwarded on to the University of New England. date stamping of volumes recognisable (1890s, 1920s In 2001 the lease was revoked, as the College and 1960s), and, marked on the endpapers, at engaged in redevelopment, and at short notice least three separate systems of cataloguing are the Society was moved into smaller quarters in evident, one using the Dewey System. These an apartment in an accommodation block be- matters can probably be more accurately as- longing to the University. The very limited sessed from the several card catalogues, which space meant that the Library had to be al- are some years out-of-date. There has not most completely packed away. Archival ma- been time for me to study these for the present terial was sent to the Mitchell Library at this project. time to join that which had previously been deposited there. The Library was packed into boxes, and the large bookcases sold to the His- The Liversidge Collection toric Houses Trust. Fortunately a ten-year lease In the early period one of the major influences was arranged with the University of Sydney in on the Society's Library was clearly Professor 2003 when the Society moved into its present Archibald Liversidge. From the time of his ar- quarters. However, while the site provides good rival in New South Wales in 1872 Liversidge was quarters for efficient office use with an excellent a major activist for Science. He encouraged venue for technical meetings nearby, the loca- not only the Royal Society for which he was tion is unsuitable for library storage and access Honorary Secretary between 1874 and 1884 and for members and other users. later president, but he was also essentially the It is clear that the library has suffered con- founder of the Australasian Association for the siderably by the various moves. It has also Advancement of Science (AAAS) in the 1880s suffered by the lack of permanent, paid, qual- through the Royal Society's Council. There is ified staff, although it must be admitted that a a very full set of his own bound publications, number of dedicated honorary librarians, some mainly reprints, which to a great extent were qualified in both librarianship and science, have originally published in the Society's Proceed- done their best to maintain the Library. To ings. They attest to the variety of research some degree there has been more attention paid work he undertook, the fruits of which were of- to the journals, many of which are not readily ten presented first at the regular monthly meet- available elsewhere in Australia. ings of the Society. The quality of this work In summary the Library had steady growth must have been an inspiration to other members from its beginning, with some episodes of partic- and indeed to researchers throughout Australa- ular expansion, reaching its maximum period of sia. There are also volumes which belonged to use, and thus of social values in the 1970s. Since him, and which he passed on to the Library, per- then, although the addition of serials and occa- haps when he retired and returned to England CULTURAL, HISTORICAL k SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE 111

in 1907. Perhaps of even greater value from tlie benefit from rebinding. point of view of the history of science, are the Another period of binding occurred, proba-

several volumes of handwritten notes he took as bly in the 1960s. There is evidence from the mid a student while at the Royal School of Mines in 1960s that the value of many volumes to the London in 1869-71. These record not only his Society's members was questioned by Council own studies but indicate the type of instruction members. There was clearly some debate about then being given by lecturers of the quality of the need to keep certain volumes in the Soci- Professor W. Warrington Smyth. ety's rooms, rather than possibly offering them Liversidge was responsible for obtaining the for sale, storing them or sending them with seri- rare volume Geology of the US Exploring Expe- als to the University of New England. At least a dition, 1838-42 by J.D. Dana that has already few of the very rare and valuable volumes were been mentioned in Dr Tyler's report. Liversidge appreciated and some were rebound, while a few was very probably also responsible for the acqui- were boxed. sition of the King-Fitzroy Beagle volumes and It is clear that the difficulties of access to the HMS Fly Expedition volume by J.B. Jukes, the library in the past twenty or so years be- all seminal works connected with Australian ex- cause of the limited opening hours and the lack ploration and geology. of awareness of the Library's contents by many In view of Liversidge's contribution to Aus- researchers has, over the years, reduced the im- tralian Science and to the University of Syd- pact that the collection might have had. Nu- ney it is a sobering fact that the biography of merous volumes have uncut pages, indicating Liversidge by Professor Roy Macleod, of the that they have never been used, despite their University, completed several years ago has not potential value to researchers. yet been deemed worthy of publication by Aus- tralian publishing houses. It is sad also that despite the naming of a street in Canberra for THE RANGE OF THE Liversidge his contribution to the University of COLLECTION Sydney remains without acknowledgement (by a named building etc.) within the grounds, or The collection is, naturally enough, quite eclec- even within the Department of Chemistry. tic. Although there is a considerable number of Other Society members, such as the pas- serials which are held in other libraries within toralist and Legislative Council member Henry New South Wales, some runs, particularly of Kater, the Reverend William Woolls and the as- early issues, are not available elsewhere, as in- tronomer John Tebbutt of Windsor, also made dicated by the searches of the Hon. Librarian. donations of library items during this early period. Individual Volumes

What I have selected as extremely rare and Later History valuable items have already been listed in Ta- A later period of binding occurred in the late ble 1. However there are many different items 1920s, perhaps in anticipation of the move into likely to attract the attention of other assessors.

Science House. This was less elaborate than the These are listed in Appendix 2, already referred binding carried out in the 1890s, but was nev- to. In this appendix the items of interest are ertheless effective. In 1933 the Society was pre- grouped under the various scientific disciplines sented with a number of volumes by the Phar- usually adopted for library classification. How- maceutical Society of New South Wales. While ever, many of the volumes, particularly those of this 'donation' contains some interesting vol- the nineteenth century, contain a wide range of umes, others are not of such value. A consider- subjects, at a time when many of the disciplines able number are in poor condition from water were just emerging from a broad 'scientific' field. damage, possibly from the time they were pre- Articles documenting colonial scientific ac- sented. The rare items of these volumes would tivities prior to the formation of the Society and 112 BRANNAGAN

describing the meetings of the Society's prede- sists of the Quarterly reports of the Broken Hill cessor, the Philosophical Society of New South Proprietary Company from its inception in 1883 Wales, in the 1850s, are available in several lo- to 1911. cal publications as such the Sydney Magazine The first publications of Lawrence Hargrave of Science aiid Art in 1857 and 1859. The relating to his aeronautical experiments are following period is covered by Transactions of found in the Society's journal, and his drawings the Philosophical Society of New South Wales, also come within the purview of the Library, 1862-1865. a small volume on aeronautics possibly owes its presence in the Library's collection to Hargrave.

Nineteenth Century Science and Interspersed with the above are copies of short-lived Australian colonial scientific and lit- Technology erary societies; these items are rarely to be

found in Australian libraries. It is likely Many important aspects of research and devel- that these last- mentioned will, in the end, opment of Australian science and technology prove most useful researchers during the second half of the nineteenth century to examining the history of Australian scientific are covered by the Library's holdings. endeavour, particularly in the period prior to Federation. While the emphasis of the Royal Society has been more on the physical, chemical and geolog- The Society's library contains a fine collec- ical sciences with the associated technical fields, tion of books and reports on Astronomy. This the Library has a considerable range of impor- includes a long run of the reports of the Syd- tant biological (particularly botanical) publica- ney Observatory, initially through H.C. Russell tions. This might seem surprising in that atten- and reports of the private observatory at Wind- tion to the biological sciences has tended to be sor run by John Tebbutt, the 1870s transit of the province, within New South Wales, of the Venus, and publications from the British Astro- separate Linnean Society. The reason for this nomical Society and other sources. There are can probably be traced back to the period prior also more recent volumes dealing with the life to the formation of the Linnean Society mainly of Copernicus and other early researchers. through the Macleay family. In this prior period It is hard to evaluate in monetary terms the Royal Society would have attracted gifts and much of the Library's 19^^ century material, exchanges, notably from Victoria. which by exchange or gift, emanated from var- Thus the Society's Library contains copies ious British colonies outside Australia. How- of Flora Australiensis by George Bentham, as- ever its scientific and historical value can be sisted by Baron Ferdinand von Mueller. Von assessed. While perhaps of less direct interest Mueller continued to send his own later publi- to Australian scholars there is now a wide web cations expanding Bentham's work. In addition of international researchers involved in studying the NSW Botanist J.H. Maiden was an enthu- the epoch of colonialism and empire. siastic member of the Royal Society and it was The spread of information of the Society's doubtless his encouragement that ensured other holdings of these topics, which might be re- interesting biological items continued to reach garded locally as somewhat esoteric, could very the Library. likely attract considerable interest among schol- Following the interest in early geographi- ars from many countries. Among other items cal exploration there are reports on the later they contain Dutch East Indies - which is now Horn and Elder expeditions, reminders of Leich- Indonesia - Pacific Islands, Indian and African hardt's still unsolved death, The Reverend W.B. material of geological, botanical, meteorologi- Clarke's writings on gold and geology. Related cal, anthropological and ethnographic content. to both geology and exploration is the docu- There is .information on various Polar expedi- mentation of a momentous mineral - social phe- tions, and material related to the Tokyo Earth- nomenon, the discovery and development of the quake of 1923. Preparation of a full catalogue Broken Hill orebody. This documentation con- and listing on the Society's web pages could CULTURAL, HISTORICAL k SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE 113

likely see a dramatic rise in interest in the col- difficult economic and practical conditions over lection from outside Australia. almost 150 years. While many of the journal runs still held in Sydney are not unique to this library, some con- CONCLUSIONS tain exquisite illustrations in a number of for- mats, including lithographs, woodcuts, and cop- The Library of the Royal Society of Sydney has per engravings, which deserve to be more widely been in existence for at least 135 years. In to- known. Brief displays of these at the Society's tal it consists of an estimated 45 000 volumes. meetings have evinced considerable admiration, Including, as it does, material from even ear- and means of displaying them more widely must lier Australian colonial times, it encapsulates be investigated. much of the history of science in New South Listing of the books shows that over the - - Wales and indeed of Australia for more than years many volumes, which should be together, Australian Science is 150 years. The history of have been separated. The listing will enable the its right as significant now established in own a material to be grouped more satisfactorily. Of - discipline in studies of Australian History see course, cataloguing should be carried out as a for instance the Historical Records Australian of priority before the final list is placed on the So- in as Historical Science, which began 1966 the ciety's website. Records of the Australian Academy of Science. The first volume contains a seminal paper on the work of Lawrence Hargrave, which paper COLLECTION LISTS AND drew on the Royal Society's papers. Neverthe- RECOMMENDATIONS less the importance of science, and even of technology, to the development of Australia has, in The results of my investigation - limited by time the past, been underplayed in major histories of and funding - of the Library of the Royal So-

Australia, as is discussed in Dr Tyler's report. ciety of New South Wales are encapsulated in The Library covers the widest range of scien- Table 1 and the appendices.

tific literature, from astronomy to zoology, but with major material on geology, botany, sci- Spreadsheet Data entific and naturalist societies and catalogues

of major exhibitions, the last named of which, There is, in spreadsheet form (held by the Royal

in themselves, cover the widest range of scien- Society), a fuller list of the books examined, tific and 'practical' aspects of the developing indicating their titles, pubhcation sources and colonies - and indeed the nation - particularly dates, format, general subject content (scientific

during the crucial period of the late 19^^ cen- discipline) and condition (refer to Appendix 1).

tury. Material on individual scientists from var- Perhaps more important is that an attempt has ious periods in the history of the Society is avail- been made to assess the specific scientific and able to researchers, and has already proved an cultural value of each volume on a numerical

important source for some researchers in the his- scale. Naturally enough this assessment is very tory of Austrahan science (e.g. Branagan 1972; subjective, and depends to a considerable ex- Inkster & Todd 1988; Gilbert 2001; Macleod tent on my own background and specific areas unpubl.). of interest.

There is no doubt that the collection has The value of a book depends on a number of considerable value in its own right, but, possibly factors. The interest of the subject to the reader

more significantly, it also has important cultural is an important factor, as is the quality of the and historical value, indicating the strength of presentation, and the knowledge of the author. cultural and scientific interest by a dedicated Other books have value because of their unique

colonial society largely, in its earliest days, of quality, including perhaps the place of the au- men, and which has been preserved, and culti- thor in the history of his/her subject. Others vated to varying degrees by the Society, often in have a monetary value because of the quality 114 BRANNAGAN

of presentation, beauty of illustrations, or their Melbourne, and has additional funding through

rarity. It is difficult to give an exact evaluation its parking facility which is used by the pub-

of any book, so any such evaluation must be lic. That Society is able to use its building for

very subjective. functions, scientific gatherings, and to house its In my opinion the volumes in the collection library in excellent conditions. of most overall value are those which shed light Likewise the Royal Society of South Aus- on aspects of the history of science in Australia, tralia has its own rooms within the Library- and which are likely to be held in few libraries. Museum-Art Gallery complex of Adelaide,

In this category I place the volumes of some of an ideal city situation for meetings and co-

the smaller and often short-lived Colonial scien- operation with other groups, and its library is

tific societies (e.g. The Queensland Naturalists readily available. So too the Geographical So- Society, The Geelong Field Naturalists & The ciety has its own library intact within the main

Geological Society of Australasia 1880s- 1907 ). Library of South Austraha building.

State of Preservation General Comments

Some important volumes are in urgent need of While I agree with almost all of the comments repair. These have been identified. Other less about the Library, and its history, as described important volumes also need attention. In gen- by Dr Tyler, I do not consider that, for a col- eral it can be stated that the physical conditions lection of this significance, the volumes are ad- in which the volumes are presently housed are equately housed at the Society's present quar- far from ideal, either for their preservation or for ters. The collection has suff'ered from its more their use. Some decisions need to be made ur- recent moves. Much of it was better housed gently about these matters. An ideal solution, when at its (first) site at Macquarie University not just for the Library, but for the advance- (during the second, shorter period at Macquarie ment of Science in New South Wales, would be University it was largely packed in boxes)), the generous return of Science House to the sci- when climatic conditions were more controlled, entific community of the State, so that it could as the volumes were then contained within glass be put to the purpose for which it was built. cases and the temperature was relatively stable.

These cases were too large to fit the present site at the University of Sydney and were sold Similar Collections to the Historic Houses Trust. Other collections with which the (NSW) Royal A minor amount of redistribution of books

Society's might be compared are those of the is required to bring together various volumes Royal Society of Victoria, Royal Society of which have close relationships.

South Australia and the Royal Geographical So- Dr Tyler's Recommendation 4, moving the ciety of Australia (South Australian Branch). books at 121 Darlington St to the Ground floor, These societies seem to have been more highly would be a decided improvement on the present regarded within their own states, than has the situation. However I would only regard this as Royal Society of New South Wales, in that some a very temporary step, necessarily of quite lim- government funding, either real or in kind, has ited duration. continued for them in recent years. The Royal I endorse the priorities listed in Dr Tyler's

Society of Victoria owns its building in central Report, and will not repeat them here. CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE 115

APPENDIX 1

The following list shows volumes requiring and Wales by Col. Madge and Capt. Colby, repair. These fall into two categories: A - those 1815 (4-4) requiring urgent and considerable attention and An Outlirie of the Sciences of Heat and Electric- B- those requiring some remediation. ity Thom.as Thom,son 1839 (Shelf 4-4) On Sound, J. Tyndall 1875 (Shelf 4-4) A -Requiring Urgent and Niger Flora H.D. Trotter et al. 1848 (Shelf 3-2) A Maori - English Lexicon being a Comprehen- Considerable Attention sive Dictionary of the New Zealand Tongue

The Australian Critic [Melbourne] T.G. Tucker . . . (part 1 Maori- English), William Colenso, k W.B. Spencer 1890 (Shelf 6-1) 1898 (2-1) Itineraire kilometrique, voyage a pied en Nou- Abstracts of papers communicated to the Royal velle Caledonie C.H. Lemire, 1877 (Shelf 6-4) Society of London 1937-40 (Shelf 2-2) Journal of the Elder Scientific Exploring Expe- Technics: The Journal of the Stawell Technical dition 1891-2 (with maps) (under the com- College and School of Mines (six issues, 1892) mand of) D. Lindsay 1893 (Shelf 6-4) (Shelf 2-3) Descriptive Catalogue of the Specimens of Rocks Life and Scientific work of PC Tait, C.G. Knott of Victoria in the Industrial and Technologi- 1911 (Shelf 2-3) cal Museum 1894 (Shelf 5-1) Spectrum, Analysis, H. Schellen 1872 (Shelf 2-3) Historical Records of New South Wales 1783- Broken Hill Proprietary Reports (and State- 1793 (vol. 1 pt 2) (Shelf 6-2) ments of Accounts), 1885-1911 (unbound vol- The History of New Holland from its First umes from 1896-1911 (Shelf 1-3) Discovery, introduction by Rt Hon William Geelong Natmnlist, Second Series complete Eden, John Stockdale publisher 1787 (Shelf from March 1904 - June 1913, also July 1922, 6-3) Geelong Field Naturalists Club (established The Climate of NSW, H.C. RusseU 1874 (Shelf 1880) (Shelf 1-3) 6-4) Contributions to the Natural History of Labuan

Report on the Geology & Goldfields of Otago, F. and the adjacent coasts of Borneo, [part 1 , all Hutton & G.H. Ulrich 1875 (Shelf 5-2) published] James Motley k Lewis L. Dillwyn, Duncan's Edinburgh Dispensary A. Duncan 1855 (Shelf 1-3) 1830 (Shelf 5-3) An Act to consolidate the Statutes relating to Pharmacopoeia Universalis or Complete Ency- the corporation of the City of Sydney, NSW clopedia of Materia Medica 1872 (Shelf 5-3) Act No. 35, 1902, NSW Legislative Assembly Oeuvres completes de Chritiaan Huygens 1659- 1902 (Shelf 1-3) 66 (vol. 16) Societe hollandaise des Sciences Sydney Magazine of Science and Art 1858-1859 1929 (Shelf 5-6) (Shelf 1-3) Elements of Natural History J. Blumenbach Geology of the Provinces of Canterbury and 1825 (Shelf 4-1) Westland, NZ, J. von Haast 1879 (Shelf 1-4)

The Australian Naturalist vols 1 k 2 1906-48 Aeronautics [supplement to Knowledge and Il- (Shelf 4-1) lustrated Science News] Issues 1-12, (January Supplement to the Pharm,acopoeia: Treatise on to November 1908 + loose sheets October- Pharmacology S.F. Gray 1836 (Shelf 4-3) November 1913, and article (obituary) of Paris's Pharmacologia J. A. Paris 1832 (Shelf 4- Wilbur Wright) B. Baden-Powell & J.H. 3) Ledeboer, 1908 k 1913, (Shelf 1-5) Dissertation and Letters by Don Joseph Ro- Iconographia crinoideorum, N.P. Angelin, 1878 driguez, the Chevalier Delambre, Baron de (Shelf 1-5) Zack, Dr. Thomas Thomson, Dr. Olinthus Cyclopaedia: or an universal dictionary of Arts Gregory and others, either to impugn or to and Sciences, J.E. Chambers, (all 4 vols) 1786 defend the Trigonometrical Survey of England (Shelf 1-6) 116 BRANNAGAN

B- Requiring Some Remediation Bentham, 1863 (Shelf 3-1) Botanical Magazine or Flower-Garden dis- History of New South Wales from, the Records, played, (voll& 2 in one) W. Curtis 1787 (Shelf {Governor Phillip 1783-1789} 1889 (Shelf 6- 3-3) 1) Agriculture of Oberlantz, L. Jacobi 1860 (Shelf Southern Science Record & Magazine of Natural 3-5) History, vols 1 k 2, 1880-85 (Shelf 6-3) Marine Algae, collected k, mounted by the Rev Handbook of New Zealand, 1st edn. James Hec- James YuiU, 1854 (Shelf3-6) tor, 1879 (Shelf 6-4) Index perfectus as Caroli Linnaei, F. von Catalogue of the Chilean Exhibition at the Mueller (Shelf 3-6) Philadelphia Centenary Exhibition 1876 A ustralian Dictionary of Dates and Men of the (Shelf 6-4) Tim.e, H. Heaton 1879 (Shelf 2-1) Opuscula, Georgius Agricola 1546 (Shelf 6-5) Kamilaroi, Dippl and Turrubul Aboriginal Lan- Asiatic Society of Bengal Centenar^y Review, guages (also other languages) W.M. Ridley, Researches of the Society 1784-1883 (Shelf 1866, (Shelf 2-1) 6-5) Environm,ent: A Magazine of Science, vols 1 to Geology & Palaeontology of Queensland & New 3 (lacks issue no. Science Teachers' Asso- Guinea 1892 R.L. Jack & R. Etheridge Jnr 1) ciation (E.G. Booth), 1934-36 (Shelf 2-2) (Shelf 5-2) Record the Royal Society London 1912 (3rd Essays M.H. Klaproth 1797 (Shelf 5-3) of of edition) (Shelf 2-3) Unpublished work on Seasonal Forecasting, H.I. Biographical Fellows (Royal Soci- Jensen (Shelf 5-3) Memoirs of ety of London 1891-1966), N.H. Fairley 1966 Manual of Medical Jurisprudence and State (Shelf 2-3) Medicine, Michael Ryan 1836 (Shelf 5-4) BANZ Antarctic Research Expedition 1929-31: Dr Leichhardt's Briefe an seine Angehdrigen., vol. 6 Isopoda, Hale 1952 (Shelf 2-5) G. Neumayer & O. Leichhardt, 1881 (Shelf (2) H.M. 5-3) The Micrographic Dictionary J.W. Griffith & A. Henfrey 1883 (Shelf 2-6) Textbook of Embryology, Man and Mammals, O. Hertwig 1892 (Shelf 4-1) Description of the Star Camera at the Sydney Observatory 1892 (Shelf 2-6) Royal Society of London, Reports of Malaria, Mediterranean Fever and Sleeping Sickness The Disaster of September f^, 1923 as it af- Commissions 1900-10 (Shelf 4-1) fected Tokyo Imperial University and other Accum's System of Theoretical and Practical places, 1923; together with Reconstruction Chemistry, by Frederick Accum (1807) (Shelf Album containing the final Report of the 4-3) Tokyo Im.perial University Library, 1923-29 Chemical Essays S. Parkes 1823, vol. 2 only re- (Shelf 2-6). quiring repair (Shelf 4-3) Sydney University Review, Nov. 1881- July '83 Theory & Practice of Hydro-Mechanics, Insti- [issues nos 1, 2, 4 & 5] (Shelf 1-3) tute of Civil Engineering 1884-85 (Shelf 4-4) Les premiers Nouvelles concernant L 'eruption Practical Applications of Electricity, Institute of du Krakatau en 1883, M. Dietrich, 1884 (Shelf Civil Engineering 1884 (Shelf 4-4) 1-3) Aeronautical and other papers, L. Hargrave Catalogue of Books on Natural Science in the 1884-1909 (Shelf 4-5) Radcliffe Library to 1872, 1877 (Shelf 1-4) Report on Designs and Tenders submitted in List of Birds, Rockingham Bay, Northeast connection with the proposed Bridge over Queensland, E.P. Ramsay 1875 (Shelf 1-4) Sydney Harbour to connect Sydney with Electric Movement in Air and Water with The- North Sydney, Sydney Harbour Bridge Ad- oretical Inferences, Lord Armstrong 1897 visory Board (1903) (Shelf 4-5) (Shelf 1-5) Flora Australiensis: A Description of the Plants Maps of Land Subdivisions of NSW, NSW Dept of the Australian Territory, vol. 1. George of Lands (Shelf 1-6) CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE 117

APPENDIX 2 Fragm,enta Phytographiae Australiae, vols. I ll [missing vol. 7?], Baron F. von Mueller, 1858 Liversidge Collection 1881, (Shelf 3-1) Flora Australiensis: A Description of the Plants These cover the subjects of chemistry, mainly of the Australian TeiTitory, vols. 1-7. George inorganic, mineralogy, and geology (1875- Bentham, 1863-1878 [note: assisted by F. von 1904), see for instance six titles at shelf 4-2, and Mueller] (Shelf 3-1) 31 similar reprints bound individually at Shelf Handbook of the New Zealand Flora, J.D. 2-1. Hooker, 1867 (Shelf 1-3) Proposed Chemical Laboratory^ Sydney Univer- The Birds of Eastern North Am,erica, Charles sity, A. Liversidge, 1888 (Shelf 4-5) B. Cory 1899 [Well Illustrated] (Shelf 4-2) Minerals of New South Wales, A. Liversidge (Shelf 2-1) (1888) (Shelf 5-1) Prodromus Systematis Naturalis (Regni Vege- Palaeontology Course of Demonstrations, talis), De CandoUe 1824^49 (Shelf 3-5) (handwritten notes. Royal School of Mines, London 1870) (Shelf 5-1) Physics a Lectures on Mining by Notes of Course of W. Precis Elementaire de Physique Experimentale Warrington Smyth (handwritten notes, the (second edition, two volumes, 1821) by J-B. Royal School of Mines, London 1869-1870) Biot (Shelf 1-2) (Shelf 5-1) Two bound volumes: Scientific Tracts vol. 1 Geography and Related Areas

(various reprints) & Tracts Scientific vol/ 1, A Complete Systern of Geography, being a de- both from the 1820s, probably owned by A. scription the known world, Emanuel Bowen Liversidge of (Geographer to his Majesty), 2 vols. 1747 (Shelf 2-6) Significant Listed According Volumes Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Com- to Scientific Discipline plete pronouncing Gazetteer or Geographical Dictionary of the World, J.B. Lippincott, Items listed in Table 1 have been omitted from 1880 (Shelf 1-4) this list. Cyclopaedia: or an Universal Dictionary of Arts Chemistry and Sciences, vols. 1-4, 1786 (1-6) Cosmos, Sketch of a Physical Description of the Theoretical Practical Accum's System of and Universe . . . Alexander Humboldt. There

Chemistry by Frederick Accum (1807) (Shelf are two English translations of the first and 4-3) second volumes (first published in German in 1845 and 1847), one in two volumes transl. Biology by Otte (1849) and in four volumes transl. by Edward Sabine (1847) (Shelf 4-4) Natural History of the Mammalia, Natural His- True Theory of the Earth and the Philosophy tory of the Marsupiata, and Natural History of the Predicted End by ?'Research' (anon, of the Rodentia by G.R. Waterhouse, 1846 & Scottish) 1869 (Shelf 5-1) 1848 (Shelf 4-2) Elements Natural History, J.F. Blumenbach Animal Chemistry, Physiology and Pathology of of 1825 (Shelf 4-1) Man by Simon Franz (ed. G.E. Day), 1846 (Shelf 4-3) Technology Index perfectus ad Caroli linnaei species Plan- tarum nempe eorum, Prima Editionem, Operative Mechanic & British Machinist, being (Anno 1753) collatore Ferdinando de a practical display of the Manufactories and Mueller, Baron F. von Mueller, 1880 (Shelf Mechanical Arts (2nd edn) by John Nicholson 3-6) (Civil Engineer), 1825 (Shelf 4-4) ,

118 BRANNAGAN

Australia Commonwealth: Information, condi- German) 1846-47 it is regarded as founding tions and particulars for guidance in prepa- the science of geochemistry (Sarjeant, 1980). ration of competitive designs for the Federal (Shelf 5-2) Capital city of the Commonwealth of Aus- Report on the Geology and Goldfields of Otago, tralia (Shelf 6-1) F. Hutton and G.H. Ulrich (1875) (Shelf 5-2) The Australian Flora in Applied Art: The Geology of Queensland (text) and Geological Waratah, R.T. Baker 1915 (Shelf 2-3) Map of Queensland (six sheets), J.R.L. Jack Wine making in hot climates, L. Ross 1900 k R. Etheridge Jnr, (1892) (Shelf 5-2) (Shelf 1-5) Geology of Sydney and the Blue Mountains, J. Milne Curran, (1898 ?First Edition), (Shelf Aeronautics 5-2) Systematic Account of the Geology of Tasmania, Aeronautical Society of Great Britain Annual Robert Johnston 1888 (Shelf 5-6) Reports, 1866-1893 (2-6) Materialien zur Geologic von Turkestan (3 vols, Aeronautics [supplement to Knowledge and Il- two in Russian, one German, 1880, 1884, lustrated Science News] Issues 1-12, (January 1890), Romanowski, G. (Shelf 5-6) to November 1908 + loose sheets October- Conversations on Geology, Granville Penn 1828 November 1913, and article (obituary) of (Shelf 5-2) Wilbur Wright) B. Baden-Powell k J.H. British Petrography with special reference to the Ledeboer, 1908 k 1913, (Shelf 1-5) igneous rocks, J.J. Harris Teall, 1888. First part issued February 1886, completed March Astronomy 1888 (Shelf 2-4)

The Achromatic Telescope and its various The Eruption of Krakatoa and subsequent phenomena: Report the Krakatoa Committee mountings, especially the Equatorial . . of . WiUiam Simms, 1852 (Shelf 4-5) of the Royal Society, ed. G.J. Symons, 1888 Meteorological Observations, Windsor, NSW (Shelf 2-5) (1863-1915), together with Astronomical Les premiers Nouvelles concernant L 'eruption Memoirs (1853-1907), John Tebbutt (several du Krakatau en 1883, M. Dietrich, 1884 (Shelf volumes k dates to 1915) (Shelf 4-5) 1-3) The Astronomical Register: A medium of com- Exhibition Catalogues munication for amateur observers and all others interested in the Science Astronomy of Official Catalogue of the Natural and Indus- (vols. 1-24) in two volumes (1-12 bound k trial Products of New South Wales forwarded 13-24), 1863-1886, (Shelf 1-2) to the International Exhibition of 1876 at

Philadelphia 1876 (contains the first Aus- Geology tralian work of T.W. Edgeworth David, later a President of the Society) (Shelf 5-1) Transactions of the Geological Society of Aus- Official Record of the Intercolonial Exhibition of tralasia, parts 1-4 (1886-1890 -\- List of mem- Australasia, 1866-67 [J.G. Knight, Secretary] bers 1887) Robert Litton, ed. (Shelf 5-1) (Shelf 1-4) The Southern Goldfields, W.B. Clarke 1860 (Shelf 5-1) Exploration, Expeditions Remarks on the Sedimentary Formations of New South Wales, 1878 (Shelf 5-2) Dissertation and Letters by Don Joseph Ro- Geological Observations in South Australia, J.E. driguez, the Chevalier Delambre, Baron de (Tenison) Woods, 1862 (Shelf 5-1) Note also Zack, Dr. Thomas Thomson, Dr. Olinthus Woods's bound papers 1876-1889, (Shelf 4-5) Gregory and others, either to impugn or to Elements of Chemical and Physical Geology, defend the Trigonometrical Survey of Eng- [Karl] Gustav Bischof (trans Benjamin H. land and Wales by Col. Mudge and Capt. Paul), 1853, 1855, 1859. First published (in Colby, 1815 (Shelf 4-4) CULTURAL, HISTORICAL k SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE 119

Challenger Expedition: Briefe voii Willemoes- tory, to Yellowstone National Park 1874, W. Suhm. 1877 (Shelf 5-3) Ludlow, 1875. (Shelf 1-5) Dr Leichhardt's Briefe an seine Angehdrigen, Co7itributions to the Natural History of Labuan

G. Neumayer & O. Leichhardt, 1881 (Shelf and the adjacent coasts of Borneo [part 1 , all 5- 3) published] James Motley & Lewis L. Dillwyn, The History of New Holland from its first dis- 1855 (Shelf 1-3) covery (introduction by The Hon. William Eden) [printed for John Stockdale] 1787 Biography & History (Shelf 6-3) Tadataka Ino, the Japanese Land-Surveyor, Voyages of the Adventure and Beagle, 1826- Ryokichi Otani (Trans K. Sugimura) 1932 1836, King, RR & Fitzroy, R., 2 vols & ap- (Shelf 5-3) pendix (with charts) 1839 (Shelf 6-4) The Life of the Honorable Henry Cavendish, in- Voyage of H.M.S. Fly, 2 vols J.B. Jukes, 1847. cluding abstracts from his writings, George (Shelf 6-4) Wilson 1854 (Shelf 5-3) Journal of the Elder Scientific Exploring Expe- Memorials, scientific and literary of Andrew dition, 1891-2 (with maps) (under the com- Crosse the electrician, Cornelia Crosse 1857 mand of) D. Lindsay, 1893 (Shelf 6-4) (Shelf 5-3) Horn Expedition (3 vols) W. Baldwin Spencer (ed.), 1896. (Shelf 6-4) Ethnography etc Journal of the Horn Expedition, 2 vols includes The Ancient Stone Im,plem,ents, Weapons and printed letters, and Report of the Physi- Ornaments of Great Britain, John Evans cal Geography of Central Australia, Maps & 1872 (Shelf 5-3) Plans, Charles Winnecke, 1897. (Shelf 6-4) A Maori - English Lexicon being a Comprehen- Victoria Late Australia Felix - Port Phillip Dis- sive Dictionary of the New Zealand Tongue trict, William Westgarth, 1853 (Shelf 6-4) . . . (part 1 Maori-English), William Colenso, Report the 1873 Expedition the Colorado of of of 1898 (Shelf 2-1) the West and its tributaries, Prof. J.W. Pow- An Account of the Polynesian Race, its origin eU, under the direction of the Smithsonian and migrations, 3 vols, (one is second edition Institution (pamphlet, 36 1874. (Shelf pp.), 1890), A. Fornander, 1880, 1885, 1890 (Shelf 6- 4) 2-1) "Aurora^' Relief Expedition, 20 December 1916 Myths and Songs of the South Pacific, W. Wy- to 9 February 1917, J.K. Davis, 1917 (Shelf att Gill 1876 (Shelf 2-1) 2-3) Historical Sketches of Savage life in Polynesia Exploration Internationale des Regions Polaires with illustrative clan songs, [lyrics only], W. 1882-3 1883-84 k Wyatt GiU 1880 (Shelf 2-1) Report of the Natural History Results of the At Home in Fiji, C.F. Gordon Gumming, 1882 Pamir Boundary Commission (with a list of [Liversidge had an association with Gum- the plants by J.F. Dultice and a notice of the ming, collecting hot spring water in Fiji for rock specimens by T.H. Holland), A.W. Al- analysis] (Shelf 2-1) cock, 1890 (Shelf 6-5) New Hebrides Linguistics (Three New Hebrides Last Cruise of the ''Wanderer'', John Webster Languages), The Rev. D. McDonald, 1889 (1877), (Shelf 1-5) (Shelf 2-1) Australien (und) Ozeanien, W. Geisler, 1930 Supplement to Thesaurus Craniorum: Cata- [also contains considerable Ethnography] logue of the Skulls of the Various Races of (Shelf 1-4) Man in the Collection of Joseph Barnard Report of a Reconnaissance of the Black Hills Davis, 1875 (Shelf 2-3)

of Dakota . . . [Engineering Dept, US Army], Ethnological Studies among the North-West- W. Ludlow, 1875 (Shelf 1-5) Central Queensland Aborigines, W.E. Roth Reconnaissance from Carroll, Montana Terri- 1897 (Shelf 2-1) 120 BRANNAGAN

Report of Edo-speaking Peoples, N.W. Thomas, The Naturalist: A Popular Monthly Magazine, 1910 (Shelf 2-1) illustrative of the Animal, Vegetable and Min- eral Kingdoms, vols 1-8, bound in four vol- Institutions umes, Beverley R. Morris 1851-58. (Shelf 1-

2) Commemorative Exercises of the 5(fi^ An- niversary of the Franklin Institute 1824-74, Medical Frankhn Institute 1874 (5-3) Reports & Transactions of the Natural History Manual of Medical Jurisprudence and State Society of Queensland, 1892-94 (Shelf 6-1) Medicine, Michael Ryan 1836 (Shelf 5-4) Final Report (9 months to 30/4/1884) South The Medical Assistant or Jamaica Practice of Austrahan Institute, 1884 (Shelf 6-1) Physic etc, Thomas Dancer 1819 (third edi- History of the Royal Society of London, Sprat tion) (Shelf 2-4) 1734 (Shelf 6-1) Traite des applications de VElecktricite History of the Royal Society of London, 2 vols, Therapeutique Medicale et Chirurgicale, A. C.R. Weld, 1848 (Shelf 6-1) Becquerel, 1857 (Shelf 2-3) Charter & Statutes of the Royal Irish Academy, The Lancet vol. 2, 1837 Presentation to the 1837 (Shelf 2-3) Medical Society of New South Wales (Shelf 2-5) Natural History Journals etc. Duncan's Edinburgh Dispensary, A. Duncan 1830, (Shelf 5-3) The Intellectual Observer: Review of Natural History, Microscopic Research and Recreative Palaeontology Science (vols 1-12, 1862-1868) (Shelf 5-4) Pithecanthropus Erectus, Eine menschenaen- The Quarterly Journal of Science 1864-1870. liche Uebergangsform aus Java, E. Dubois Then named The Quarterly Journal of Sci- ence New Series 1871-1878. Then named 1894 (Shelf 5-6) Fossil Remains the extinct Mammals Aus- Journal of Science & Annals of Biology 1879- of of tralia (text plates) 1877 1885. These contain many fine illustrations. and Richard Owen, (Shelf 5-6) Edited J. Samuelson & W. Crookes to 1870, then W. Crookes alone (Shelf 6-3) Fossiles Palaeozoiques de la Nouvelle Galles du Sud (Austraha), Text k Plates, k Atlas L.G. Southern Science Record Sz Magazine of Natu- Koninck 1876-77 (Shelf 5-6) ral History, (new series), possibly incomplete De Memoirs on the Extinct Wingless Birds New 1880-82 & 1885. J. Wing (publisher, Mel- of vols, including bourne) (Shelf 6-3) Zealand with an appendix (2 plates), Richard Owen 1879 (Shelf 2-5) Environment: A Magazine of Science, vols 1 to Faune du Calcaire Carbonifere de la Belgique, 3 (lacks issue no. 1) Science Teachers' Asso- Plates, 9 vols, L. Koninck, 1878- ciation (E.G. Booth), 1934-36 (Shelf 2-2) Text and de 1885 (Shelf 2-6) Technics: The Journal of the Stawell Technical College and School of Mines (six issues, 1892) Miscellaneous (Shelf 2-3) Geelong Naturalist, Second Series complete Broken Hill Proprietary Reports (and State- from March 1904 - June 1913, also July 1922, ments of Accounts), 1885-1911 (two bound Geelong Field Naturalists Club (established volumes 1885 - 1896), and set of individual 1880) (Shelf 1-3) reports unbound, 1896-1911 (Shelf 1-3) Sydney Magazine of Science and Art, 2 vols in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society

one, 1858-59, [two copies, one rebound, con- of London (from vol 1) [in storage at Pre- tents of other copy perhaps in better condi- stons] tion], (1-3) Maps of Land Divisions in 1887 (Shelf 1-6) Sydney University Review, Nov. 1881 - July '83 Facsimile of the Minutes of the Philosophical

[issues nos 1,2 4 & 5] (1-3) Society of Australasia 1821-22 (Shelf 1-6) CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE 121

APPENDIX 3 Tfie Popular Science Review [same title as above], Jan-Dec 1877, now edited by W.S.

Sample list of material in commercial storage at Dallas FLS (Asst. Sec Geol Soc), New Series Prestons. vol. 1 (vol. XVI of whole series); fleur-de-lys on spine. Printer Hardwicke & Bogue. Cosmos. Revue Encydoped.- Hehdom.adaire Tyneside Naturalists Field Club vols IV (1858- (Fortnightly) des Progres des Sciences. M. Br 60) & V (1860-62); h'back mottled dk green de Montfort Redigiee par M. L'Abbe Moigne, & yellow paper on card, dk br leather spine Tome Septieme Paris: A. Tramblay 4 Juil- & cnrs, elaborate fleur de lys on spine & title; let 1855 [4^^^ year]. Illust; h'back paper on Newcastle-upon-Tyne: F. & W. Dodsworth. card, red leather spine & cnrs with gold ti- Memoirs of the Wernerian Society of Edin- tling, small Royal Soc logo on spine. burgh, H'back 'earthquake' paper on card The Chemical Gazette or Journal of Practical cover, br & black spine & cnrs, rubbed, vol. Chemistry in all its applications to Pharmacy, 1 spine edge loose, vol. 1 (for the three years Arts Manufactures conducted by W. Fran- & 1808-10) with 15 engravings, folded plates, cis PhD, FLS, ERAS, ECS, vol. XIII 1855; vol. 2 cover loose [?8 vols in all]; Edinburgh: London: Taylor & Francis; red h'back, br ?Bell; Dr McKnight 'on the Highlands' publ. leather spine & cnrs, rubbed; no logos. 1811; (on end paper £4.4 ?8 vols). Journal the Society Arts and the In- The of of of T. Huxley, 6 vols from different publishers, diff. stitutions in Union, vol. XIII 1865; London: Sizes, 5 bound. H'back black b'cloth, bl Bell green paper & Daly; h'back ornamental leather spine & cnrs, with small Roy Soc logo on card, br. leather spine & cnrs. at top of spine, one small logo at base. Note Notes and Queries: A medium of inter- Roy Soc decision to bind as group. communication for Literary men, Artists, Sets of volumes of Reports of the: Geologi- Antiquarians, Genealogists etc (1 to 6) 1852. cal Survey of Tasmania; Geological Survey London: Geo Bell; yellow paper on card, br. of W.A.; Geological Survey of NSW (in- leather spine & cnrs. cludes bound Records & Mineral Resources Proceedings of the Philosophical Society of Glas- Series); Geological Survey of Victoria; Geo- gow, vols XXIX - XXX; h'back 'earthquake' logical Survey of Queensland; Victorian Nat- paper on card, black & br leather spine & uralists; Aust. Academy of Science; ANZAAS cnrs, rubbed; small Roy Soc logo on spine, (1892 Hobart Report has loose cover); Ige logo on cover. W.A. [Astronomical] Observatory, Reports by The Popular Science Review: A quarterly mis- W.E. Cooke from the 1890s. cellany of entertaining and instructive arti- University of Sydney Reprints from the various

cles on scientific subjects, ed. By Henry Law- Scientific Departments, c. 1900; Australian

son M.D. 1872; London: Robert Hardwicked, Museum Reports to c. 1940; Geologists' As- P'dilly. vol. XI h'back purplish b'cloth, dk br, sociation (G.B.) journal. leather on spine & cnrs, some rubbing, illustr Not seen but The Philosophical Transactions of (papers include Henry Woodward, Prestwich, the Royal Society of London from its begin- & plate relating British & French geology). ning (Series began about 1650?) are stored Ganoid fish (Ceratodus) from Qld. with these volumes listed above. I I I

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REFERENCES entific enterprise, 1850 1900. in R.W. Home (ed.). Australian Science in the Making.

Anon., A Century of Scientific Progress. Syd- Cambridge University Press, 1988, Chap. 5, ney, The Royal Society of New South Wales, 102-132. 1968. Macleod, Roy., Biography of Archibald Liver- Branagan, D.F., Words, Actions, People: 150 sidge. Manuscript completed (not yet pub- years of the scientific societies in Australia, lished). Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society Mellor, D.P., Liversidge, Archibald (1846- of New South Wales, vol. 104, 1972, pp. 123- 1927), in Douglas Pike (General Editor), Aus- 141. tralian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 5 1851- Branagan, D.F., T.W. Edgeworth David: A 1890, K-Q, Melbourne University Press, 1974, Life. National Library of Austraha, 2005. 93-94.

Darragh, T.A., Day, A.A. k Day, J.A.F., A bi- Mozley, Ann. A Guide to the Manuscript ographical register of members of the Aus- Records of Australimi Science. Canberra, trahan Philosophical Society (1850-55) and Australian Academy of Science with ANU the Philosophical Society of New South Wales Press, 1966. Proceedings (1856-66), Journal and of the Sarjeant, W.A.S., Geologists and the History of South Wales, Part I, Royal Society of New Geology: An International Bibliography from vol.117, 119-127, Part II, vol. 1984, pp. 129, the Origins to 1978. Arno Press, New York, 1996, pp. 123-132. 1980, vol. 2, 559-560 Elkin, A.P. A Goodly Heritage, ANZAAS Ju- bilee: Science in New South Wales. Sydney, The Association, 1962. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Eyles, Joan M., Georgius Agricola (1494-1555). Nature vol. 176, 949-950. The author extends his appreciation to the Gilbert, Lionel., The Little Giant: The Life and Royal Society of New South Wales for the op- Work of Joseph Henry Maiden 1859-1925. portunity to participate in this project. Special Armidale: Kardoorair Press, 2001. thanks are due to individual Society members Inglis, A., Trials of an Inventor in Australia: who provided assistance and advice: Robyn The Case of Lawrence Hargrave. Records of Stutchbury, Alan Buttenshaw, Edric Chaffer, the Australian Academy of Science, vol. 1 no. John Hardie, Jak and Irene Kelly, Clive Wilmot,

1, 18-41.g Alan Day and Maren Krysko. Also thanks to Inkster, Ian and Todd, Jan., Support for the sci- historian and co-assessor, Peter Tyler.

Dr David Branagan, MSc, PhD, FGS, Hon Life Member, Geol. Soc. Aust., Member of the Basser Library Committee, Australian Academy of Sciences © David Branagan June 1, 2006

Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, Vol. 139, p. 125-126, 2006 ISSN 0035-9173/06/0200125-2 $4.00/1

Thesis Abstract: Esterase Activity as a Sublethal Indicator of Copper Toxicity to Marine and Estuarine Microalgae

MELANIE L. BLANCHETTE

Abstract of a Thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Science James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 2006

Copper is widely used in North Queensland, laborious, whereas the microtitre plate protocol Australia as a component of agricultural chem- displayed a significant, replicable, and rapidly icals and antifouling paints, and high levels of quantifiable effect of Cu on percent inhibition Cu have been measured in some near-shore ma- of fluorescence. The difference between the pro- rine environments. Because of its potential tox- tocols was not due to binding of Cu ions to icity, there is a need for early detection of Cu the Erlenmeyer flasks as confirmed by analy- pollution in marine microalgae. Fluorescein di- sis of bioavailable Cu using inductively coupled acetate (FDA) is a substrate commonly used in plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP- esterase activity assays as a measure of cellular OES). Therefore, differences were likely due to activity. Intracellular cleavage of FDA by es- stagnation of esterase activity upon transfer terases results in free fluorescein, which can be from the flasks to the microtitre plates or dif- quantified fluorometrically as a sublethal end- ferential adhesion of the organisms to the glass- point. ware, despite methodological uniformity.

The purpose of this research was to: 1. de- Working with established cultures of zoox- termine the effects of experimental design es- on anthellae {Symhiodinium microadriaticum) is terase activity in Tetraselmis bioassay outcome extremely challenging due to the cells' strongly sp. (Chlorophyta) and Chaetoceros gracilis adhesive nature, which presents difficulties (Heterokontophyta) in response to the lack of when attempting to standardise initial inocu- protocol standardisation in the literature 2. lation density (a necessity in microalgal bioas- evaluate the use of esterase activity as a bioassays). Increasing the challenge is the lack of say endpoint for Cu toxicity in Symhiodinium. published literature using established cultures microadriaticum (Dinophyta), and 3. determine of zooxanthellae, and the tendency of authors to the effects of pH, salinity, temperature, and cul- "pool" their data, burying the independent culture on esterase activity in Tetraselmis sp. ture specific dose-response relationships within The effect of experimental design on Cu large standard errors. The purpose of this re- toxicity to esterase activity (fluorescence) in search was to quantify S. microadriaticum cul- Tetraselmis sp. and C. gracilis was determined ture density using protein content, chlorophyll by two different protocols. In the 'flask' pro- a autofluorescence, and direct cell count. The tocol, microalgae were incubated with Cu in suitability of these estimates for standardising culture flasks (a common technique in earlier initial inoculation density was evaluated in in- research papers), followed by manually pipet- dependent experiments using Cu toxicity to es- ted sample transfer and FDA incubation in mi- terase activity in the microtitre plate bioassay. crotitre plates for analysis. The 'microtitre The results of the bioassays showed irrepro- plate' protocol exposed microalgae directly to ducible Cu dose response curves and base es- copper in microtitre plates without manual terase activities between independent cultures sample transfer, followed by quantification of of S. microadriaticum, indicating that all three Cu toxicity to esterase activity (percent in- procedures for estimating culture density were hibition of fluorescence). The flask protocol unsuitable for standardising initial inoculation showed high within culture variability and was density. This research also illustrated the effect 126 THESES

of culture and data pooling on bioassay out- ture levels. Salinity did not consistently affect come, and recommended data handling proto- fluorescence or Cu toxicity. The effect of cul- cols for future ecotoxicological research. ture did not have a significant effect on either The third aim of this research was to quan- fluorescence or Cu toxicity for all three environ- tify the effects of pH, salinity, and tempera- mental parameters in the WIC protocol. ture on esterase activity and Cu toxicity in Tf raselmis sp. within the context of two dif- In conclusion, experimental design signifi- ferent protocols: one that examined the effects cantly impacted esterase activity bioassay out-

of pH, salinity, and temperature within three come in Tetraselmis sp. and C. gracilis. The xTii-

independent cultures (WIC), and another that crotitre plate protocol is a rapid, cost-effe:tive examined the effects of these parameters be- method to determine Cu toxicity on esterase ac- tween 15 independent cultures (BIC), both us- tivity in microalgae under stable pH and tem- ing the aforementioned microtitre plate proto- peratures. Additionally, some organisms (such

col. It is necessary to determine the effect of pH as S. microadriaticum) are unsuitable for use and salinity on metal toxicity due to their ef- in this bioassay due to their unique physical

fects on metal speciation, which may alter over- properties. Through this research, it became all toxicity. Temperature can influence cellular apparent that Tetraselmis sp. may be a suit- membrane permeability, which in turn may also able candidate for bioremediation of copper in affect toxicity. In general, pH and temperature marine and estuarine waters due to its esterase had significant positively increasing effects on activities persisting at high levels of Cu and in both esterase activity and Cu toxicity in both changing pH, salinity, and temperature regimes. protocols, indicating that the microtitre plate Future studies should focus on the bioremedia- bioassay for Cu toxicity should be performed at tion of polluted waters using this estuarine mi- stable (and explicitly stated) pH and tempera- croalga.

Melanie Blanchette [email protected] Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, Vol. 139, p. 127-129, 2006 ISSN 0035-9173/06/0200127-3 $4.00/1

The Clarke and Edgeworth David Medals

The Clarke Medal for 2005 was awarded to Professor Mark Wesloby, of Macqiiarie University. The medal was awarded for botany. The Medal presentations took place at the Annual Dinner on Friday 10*^' March 2006 at the Darlington Centre, University of Sydney. Professor Mark Westoby was unfortunately not able to be present on the night and was subsequently awarded the medal at the April general meeting.

The Clarke Medal for 2006 was presented to Professor Anthony Hulbert of the University of Wollongong and the Edgeworth David Medal went to Professor Barry Brook of Charles Darwin University. This year the Clarke Medal was awarded for zoology. The Medal presentations took place at the Annual Dinner on Friday 9*^ March 2007 in the Darlington Centre at the University of Sydney. The Citations, given below, were read by the President and the medals were presented by Professor Gavin Brown, Vice-Cliancellor of the University of Sydney.

Information about the awards can be found on the Society's web site at: http: / / nsw.royalsoc.org.au /awards.html

The Clarke Medal 2005

PROFESSOR MARK WESTOBY

The Clark Medal is considered for award annually for distinguished work in the natural sciences. It was first awarded in 1878. The work m.ust he performed

predominantly in Australia or its territories. It remains a highly prized award among Australian scientists.

Professor Mark Westoby holds a personal of species of Australian plants in several differ- chair in the School of Biological Sciences at ent regions. He has developed international net- Macquarie University. He received his BSc Hon- works to generalize patterns worldwide, and he ours from Edinburgh University in 1970, and his has used mathematics to confer rigour on his hy- PhD from Utah State University in 1973. He potheses. These strategies have not only made a joined Macquarie in 1975 and has been based strong contribution to knowledge of Australian there ever since, becoming Professor in 1991. flora, but they have also strengthened the role His record of achievement includes publica- of Australia in world ecology. His 2005 paper tion of 225 journal articles, including papers in in Science is called 'A brief history of seed size'. the prestigious journals Nature and Science. He The paper interprets the observed co-existence has been on the editorial boards of 5 scientific of a wide range of seed size strategies. His 2004 journals. He has regularly received funding from paper in Nature is based on a global plant net- the Australian Research Council, and is cur- work co-ordinated from Macquarie University. rently convenor of the ARC and NZ Research The paper is on the economics of plant leaves, Network for Vegetation Function. He has su- and demonstrates that most variation in leaf pervised 30 PhD and Masters students, and 18 characteristics can be accounted for by 6 im- of his students or post-docs have won faculty po- portant traits. Since its publication in 2004, sitions. In 2003, the Ecological Society of Aus- this paper has been so highly cited, that it has tralia recognized his achievements by awarding been recognized as a fast-breaking paper in the him its Gold Medal. field of Ecology and Environment. Professor Westoby has undertaken research The judging committee was unanimous in on Botany over a thirty year period in Aus- its view that Mark Westoby is a highly deserv- tralia. In the last 15 years he has focussed on ing recipient of the Clarke Medal of the Royal ecological strategies of plants. His research in- Society of NSW. cludes manipulative experiments in glasshouses and field sites. He has also described hundreds Jak Kelly 128 AWARDS

The Clarke Medal 2006

PROFESSOR ANTHONY JOHN HULBERT

The Clark Medal is considered for award annually for distinguished work in the natural sciences. It was first awarded in 1878. The work must he performed

predominantly in Australia or its territories.

Anthony John Hulbert has a first class hon- parative physiology'. He has extended his en- ours degree in Zoology from UNSW and a PhD dothermy work to other lizards, tortoises and and DSc from the same university. As an un- crocodiles. dergraduate he made the notable discovery that At a more basic level he has come to address the metabolic rate of marsupial mammals was the question of why these significant differences only about two thirds that of eutherian mam- occur between species. He has found there are mals of similar size and published the results in characteristic differences between the cell mem- Nature. He extended this work, as a postgrad- branes of different species which has lead to the uate, to study the environmental physiology membrane pacemaker theory of metabolism. of bandicoots (Peramelidae). Little previous There is considerable international interest work had been done on these animals, although in the implications of these membrane results they were spread widely throughout Australia for aging and obesity. Those of us confronted in many different environments. He was the first by either or both of these issues can but wish to breed in captivity the rabbit-eared bandicoot him well and hope for speedy results which may or bilbie {Macrotis lagotis) from central Aus- be applied to primates. He is also to be com- tralia. His capture of a spiny haired bandicoot mended for finding a use for blowflies. He uses (Echymipera rufescens) in Cape York was the golden-haired blowflies [Calliphora stygia) to first such since 1932. His PhD publications on study the process of aging and what may de- water metabolism and thermoregulation remain termine an animal's lifespan. the standard works on the physiology of these Professor Hulbert 's work well illustrates the marsupials. way science makes progress. Starting with a After postdoctoral work at Cornell, he vast diversity; small reptiles to crocodiles, tiny joined the academic staff of the University of dasyurid marsupials to large kangaroos, zebra Wollongong where he is now a professor in the finches to emus, their characteristic metabolic school of biological sciences. He continued his differences come down to a simple principle; comparative studies, this time with Australian what is the cell membrane doing? The answers desert lizards, the Central-netted dragon {Am- to this question will have implications for all life phiholurus nuchalis) and the bearded dragon forms. (Pogona vitticeps) which are the same size as rodents. They were found to have a much lower We are pleased to welcome Anthony John metabolic rate, by a factor of seven, than similar Hulbert to the distinguished list of Clarke sized rodents. The publication of these results Medal winners. in the American Journal of Physiology inspired a two page editorial praising his 'splendid com- Jak Kelly AWARDS 129

Edgeworth David Medal 2006

PROFESSOR BARRY WILLIAM BROOK

The Edgeworth David Medal tvas first awarded in 1949 and is for distinguished contributions by a scientist under the age of 35, for work in Australia or which assists the advancement of Australian science.

After a first class science degree from Mac- which is funded by the South Australian De- quarie University Barry William Brook ob- partment of the Premier. his in from the university tained PhD 1999 same His work is particularly relevant at the for thesis entitled 'Evaluating population via- a present time of climate change and its impli- bility analysis', the major results of which were cations for the changing ecology of the world. published in Nature. Seven other publications Some of the basic ecological data for our region resulted from this postgraduate work. He has is more limited and fragmented than for much of since publications in variety produced some 75 a the rest of the world. His work on collating dif- of fields, which include palaeoecology, wildlife ferent sources of information and on data min- management, landscape ecology, ecological eco- ing should make maximum use of the material nomics, ecosystem modelling and conservation that is available and so foster an evidence-based genetics and achieved a very high citation rat- and proactive approach to future environmental ing for most of them. Most of his work relates management. to Australian ecology with other results aris- Professor Brook has another valuable at- ing from a Fellowship at Kyoto University and tribute for these times. He is a skilled pub- a collaboration with the National University of lic communicator and has made many contri- Singapore. butions to the print and electronic media. We Soon after graduation he joined the ARC need such scientists, who have the ability and Key Centre for Tropical Wildlife Management the energy and the patience to persistently ar- in Darwin, and rose to Senior Research Fel- gue the case for rational thought and scientific low. In 2006 he received a Personal Chair in the methods over economic dogma and rich lobby School of Environmental Research at Charles groups. It is clear that they have already con- Darwin University, the youngest person ever to vinced a sufficient number of voters so that our be so recognised at this university. Much of political leaders are now showing signs of fol- his research has been funded by grants awarded lowing. to Professor Brook and his collaborators, more than three million dollars from the ARC alone. We are pleased to welcome Barry William In 2007 he was appointed Foundation Chair of Brook to the distinguished roll of Edgeworth Climate Change at the University of Adelaide David Medal Winners. and Director of the newly formed Research In- stitute for Chmate Change and Sustainability Jak Kelly I

I Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, Vol. 139, p. 130-133, 2006 ISSN 0035-9173/06/0200130-4 $4.00/1

Southern Highlands Branch Annual Report, April 2005 to March 2006

Meeting No. 101, 28^^ April 2005 The meeting commenced with a short film of a South Coast mine, it's history and the mining This meeting was held in the School Hall, methods used from the early days to the present Gib Gate School, Mittagong. The opportunity time and the Longwall machine. Ms Ainsworth was taken to commemorate the Centenary of described briefly the structure of the company the publication of Einstein's Special Theory of and the extent of it's mining operations in the Relativity. Illawarra region and something of the environ- The speaker was Dr Ken McCracken. In his mental problems faced. lecture, entitled 'Einstein's Inspirations: Simply Stated', he was able to present a complex sub- Mr Bow described the coal mines, both ject in a very understandable manner. Starting working and proposed in more detail showing first with the development of the laws of physics several maps which depicted their extent in re- as known in Newton's time he explained how lation to various towns, rivers, dams, roads and these laws gradually became to be questioned railways in this district. He included a map especially after some phenomena were discov- showing where dozens of bore holes have been ered which could not be explained until Einstein drilled to test the extent and quality of the coal produced his theory. He concluded by describ- seams. We were told of the working of the ing how predictions of the theory of Relatively Longwall machine and how the extracted coal were proved by Rutherford's experiments and is transported from the coal face to the surface from astronomical observations. and then delivered to the ships or steelworks at Port Kembla. Thirty nine people were in the In spite of some confusion about the date audience and 19 went on to dinner. of this meeting caused by some conflicting pub- licity information 72 people attended, including 16 students. Sixteen stayed for dinner after the Meeting No. 103, 16^^ June 2005 meeting. This lecture, held in the School Hall of Meeting No. 102, 16^^ May 2005 Gib Gate School Mittagong, was to commemorate the 150^^ year Anniversary of Railways This meeting of the Branch was held in the in N.S.W. Dr Robert Lee, Associate Professor school hall at Gib Gate School, Mittagong. The of History at the University of Western Sydney, subject of Longwall Mining for coal had been in was the speaker. the news in the Illawarra District for some weeks with the opening of a new mine and the envi- In his lecture entitled, 'Building N.S.W. ronmental issues making the headlines. In view Railways in the 19*^^ Century' he discussed the of this some of our audience members asked if career of the Chief Engineer, John Whitton un- we could arrange a lecture to explain how Long- der whose guidance the railway network reached wall mining works. The management of B.H.P, many of the most distant parts of the state, in Biliton agreed to provide qualified speakers for spite of many engineering and financial difficul- the occasion. ties encountered along the way. Many of his Two speakers attended our meeting, Ms achievements in bridge building still exist today, Zena Ainsworth, Community Relations Co- such as the two Zig Zags on the Blue Mountains ordinator for Illawarra Coal and Mr Steve and the Picton viaduct which is still in use. The Bow, one of the company's mining engineers. lecture was very well illustrated with fascinating

Illawarra Coal is a subsidiary of B.H.P. Biliton. slides of many facets of the early railway scene. 132 SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS BRANCH ANNUAL REPORT

Thirty nine people braved a very cold and Dr Neilan described blue algae from four blustery evening to attend the meeting and 11 sites in Australia, their different environ- went to dinner with Dr Lee. ments and properties and the microbacteria they produce. Most non-ribosomal peptides Meeting No. 104, 21"^ July 2005 from microorganisms are classified as secondary The lecture was held in the School Hall of metabolites. Cyanobacteria produce an enor- Gib Gate School Mittagong. mous number of these as well as alkaloids and The advertised speaker, Dr Paul Willis, was polyketides some being potent toxins. Those unfortunately unable to attend this meeting which are products of complex biosynthesis were and his place was taken by Dr Alex Ritchie. discussed, especially microcistin, a potent liver His topic was 'Famous Fossil Sites Around the toxin. Microbacteria can have a disastrous ef- World.' fect on water supplies. He ended his lecture with Dr Ritchie chose to present the many sites an encouraging description of ways metabohc discussed in the order of their Geological age, processes are being used to create 'good toxins' beginning with the oldest, Ediacara, in South and some of the environments being used to dis- Australia to some in the USA Using this method cover these drugs. This lecture concluded with Dr Ritchie was also able to explain very clearly a lively question time. the relationships between those species which lived at the same time, for instance which was Forty three people attended this meeting predator and which was prey and the evolution and 13 went on to dinner. of many of the life forms. He discussed in de- Meeting No. 106, 22"^ September 2005 tail the evidence which shows the evolution of dinosaurs to modern birds. This meeting was held in the school hail at He also mentioned the theory of 'Tas Gib Gate School, Mittagong.

Walker's Biblical Geology' and the efforts he The speaker for the evening was Dr David and his followers are making to have this al- Mills, Chairman of the Company, 'Solar Heat ternate 'Science' taught in Schools. and Power'. In his talk Dr Mills discussed There were 53 people at this meeting, 20 of the sources and relative costs of energy produc- whom went to dinner afterwards. tion available today, for instance oil, gas, wind, Meeting No. 105, 18^^ August 2005 geothermal, solar & coal, their projected importance in future years and the forecast world re- This month the Branch was asked to par- quirement for energy. then compared tech- ticipate in the Science Week activities at the He niques for using sunlight to produce electrical Bowral High School by providing a judge for a energy, such as direct conversion to electricity section of the entries in a Science Project Com- of solar cells and the production of petition on Monday, 15^^^ August. The Branch by means steam for use in conventional power stations. Representative undertook this very enjoyable His talk was illustrated with many interesting task. It was very encouraging to see the high charts pictures, in particular the equipment standard of the entries and to meet the enthusi- and used by his company to produce and store steam astic young people who had put so much effort it is connected to an existing power into them. As usual the monthly lecture was and how station to supplement the use of coal and can held in the School Hall of Gib Gate School Mit- tagong. eventually replace the need for coal altogether. Our speaker for the meeting was Dr Brett A total of 63 people including 4 students at- Neilan, Associate Professor of Environmental tended this meeting. At the dinner, with 16 Health and Microbiology at the University of people from the meeting and the staff of Fitzroy NSW. The title of his talk, 'Water Quality, Inn in attendance, a framed letter of apprecia- Water Supply and Terrorism', devised by this tion of the contribution this establishment has Branch for the Newsletter, was criticised by Dr made to the success and enjoyment of our meet- Neilan for including the word 'Terrorism' as be- ings for several years was made to the manage- ing outside the scope of his lecture. ment. SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS BRANCH ANNUAL REPORT 133

Meeting No. 107, 20^^^ October 2005 of the genetic techniques that were used in the This meeting was held in the School Hall at Thylacine project to obtain genetic information Gib Gate School, Mittagong. about QuoUs which, it is hoped, will enable the Professor Tony Hulbert, from the School of researchers to assist in their conservation. The Biological Science at the University of Wollon- habitats of quails in Australia and New Guinea gong, was the speaker on this occasion. Al- have been greatly reduced over the years and though the title of his talk, 'Life, Death and the the remaining quolls are encountering many dif- Membrane Pacemaker Theory', was intended ficulties in surviving including loss of habitat, mainly to attract attention, according to Pro- disease and predators such as cats, foxes and

fessor Hulbert, it gave a good overall idea of cane toads. the scope of his lecture. Fifty people were present for the lecture and The distribution of the metabolic rates of 18 members of the audience went to dinner with different animals (including humans), reptiles Dr Firestone at the end of the meeting. and birds according to size and species was pre- Meeting No. 109, 9^^ February 2006 rates sented and compared with that of the The meeting was held in the School Hall of of their heartbeats and average life expectan- Gib Gate School Mittagong. cies. All these showed similar trends. He then 'What's happening to gravity?' was the ti- pointed out that these results are a cellular tle of the lecture given by Dr Fred Watson, described the transfer of phenomenon and how Astronomer in Charge at he Anglo- Australian some ions across cell membranes could be the Telescope, Coonabarabran. cause of these observed effects. Starting from observations of Aristotle, Dr Professor Hulbert concluded by discussing Watson began with a brief history of the devel- the effects of diet on these results and whether opment of our understanding of 'Gravity' men- different foods are or are not good for us, partic- tioning on the way contributions by Newton, ularly in relation to the proportions of Omega 3 Descartes and Einstein. Over the years the- and Omega 6 fats they contain. Maybe an ex- ories were put forward to try to explain ob- cess of Omega 6 is causing our metabolism rates served astronomical phenomena but as observ- to slow slow down which in turn could make us ing techniques became more sophisticated In more insulin resistant. This could perhaps ex- more recent times discrepancies appeared which plain the increase in the incidence in diabetes required their amendment or replacement. Pre- and obesity being experienced in the Western dictions of the effects of Gravity on astronomical world at present. bodies made with Einstein's theories of Rela- Forty one people were present at the meeting tivity have been able to be successfully verified. and 16 at the dinner afterwards. However, it is now being realised that there may Meeting No. 108, 25^'" November 2005 be something else happening in the Universe. At the other end of the scale at the quantum This meeting of the Branch was held in the scale however, the theories don't seem to work. school hall at Gib Gate School, Mittagong. Dr Watson concluded by describing some of the 'The Thylacine and Beyond' was the title of experiments being conducted to try to find out the evening's lecture given by Dr Karen Fire- just what is happening at this level. His talk stone, Conservation Biologist, Director of the was illustrated throughout with fascinating pic- Australasian Conservation Genetics Centre of tures and diagrams. the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales. On this occasion there was a record atten- In her talk she briefly described the Thylacine dance of 144 people, including 15 students and project of the Australian Museum and some of 23 went on to dinner afterwards. the problems associated with it. The main part of her presentation concerned Meeting No. 110, 16^^ March 2006 the present extensive studies being undertaken This, the Annual General Meeting, was held by her team into the various species of the mar- in the School Hall of Gib Gate School Mit- supial, the Quoll. The team is applying some tagong. All Committee positions were declared 134 SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS BRANCH ANNUAL REPORT

vacant. As there were no nominations to fill cases where examination of the insects present these positions there is now no Committee op- in and around dead bodies made it possible to erating in the Branch. estimate the time of death and whether the bod-

Dr James Wailman, Senior Lecturer in the ies had been moved since the murder. It is School of Biological Sciences at the University in this work that the accurate identification of of Wollongong was the speaker for the evening, these insects is essential. There was a number the title of his talk being 'Bugs and Bodies: In- of questions put to the speaker at the end of the sects as Decomposers and Forensic Detectives.' talk which indicated the interest it had gener- Dr Wailman described many species of Aus- ated. tralian flies, their life cycles and the subtle dif- There were 51 present for the lecture and 21 ferences between them which enable accurate at the dinner afterwards. identification of specific types possible. Also he As usual I would like to thank all those described how certain types of maggots which whose support and hard work made any success only feed on dead flesh can have a role in the Branch has had throughout this year. These medicine in cleaning ulcers which have not re- include Ms Gillie and her people from Winifred sponded to other treatments. The talk was well West Schools for the use of the School Hall at illustrated with beautiful pictures of the flies, Gib Gate and on several occasions the loan of their maggots and the maggots cleaning up flesh lecture aids, the members of the Committee and in a very short time as was shown in a brief of course those eminent speakers who gave us movie. their time in coming to Mittagong to tell us of

Dr Wailman, who is a forensic consultant to their researches and finally our loyal audiences the Police, finished by describing some murder who make all this effort worth while.

NOTICE TO AUTHORS

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8MtTH80NIAN INSTTTUTION UBRARIES Vol. 139 Parts 3 and 4 III 3 9088 01327 8114

STUTCHBURY, R.

The Royal Society of New South Wales, Community Heritage Grant 71

TYLER, R

The Royal Society of New South Wales, Report on Historical Significance 75

BRANNAGAN, D.

The Royal Society of New South Wales, Report on the Cultural, Historical and Scientific Significance of the Society's Library and its State of Preservation 101

ABSTRACTS OF THESES Blanchette, M.L. Esterase Activity as a Sublethal Indicator of Copper Toxicity 125 to Marine and Estuarine Microalgae AWARDS The Clarke Medal 2005 127 The Clarke Medal 2006 128 Edgeworth David Medal 2006 129

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS BRANCH

Southern Highlands Branch Annual Report 131

ADDRESS Royal Society of New South Wales, Building H47 University of Sydney NSW 2006, Austraha http:/ /nsw. royalsoc.org.au

DATE OF PUBLICATION December 2006