Clonal Sncittn oi Casmanhi. ABSTRACT OF PHOCEELINaS, APPwIL 29th, 1902. A meeting of the Eoyal Socie!;y of Tas- and expansive beyond any limit they mania was held on Tuesday evening, April could assign to it.'" The Fellows had 29, 1902, in the society^s new room, Argyle- done very well so far. They had got s'treet. The President, His Excellency natural history specimens, and a fairly the GrOTernor, Sir Arthur Havelook, good rep.resantation of art, and, on tlie G.C.S.I., G.'C.M.G., presided. The Go- whole, he thought the institution would vernor was accompanied by Lady Have- compare favourably with any institution lock and Captain Gaskell, A.D.C. in the other States. But they could say now. as the secretary said in 18o7, that the Welcome to the New President. society must be cumulative and expan- sive beyond any limit thsy could a».-ign The Hon. Nicholas J. Brown, Speaker to it. Its first expansion now should be of the House of Assembly, and Vice-Presi- in the direction of the securing and equip- dent of the Eoyal Society, said he was ment of a Techuological museum. I'hat charged with a duty of a y&i:y pleasant seemed to be necessary, in view of the an- character. He had, on behalf of the ticipations that, in the near fature, Tas- Fellows of the Eoyal Society, to welcome mania would become an important manu- His Excellency on that, the first, occasion facturing and distributing centre for the of fTiS presiding at a meeting of the Eel- whole of Australia. Technical instruc- lows. According to the charter of the tion was being imparted in our schools, society, the representative of His 'Majesty and he hoped that technical knowledge the King was, ex officio. President of the would progress. But 'a Tecl^nol^g!:'al Eoyal Society of Tasmania, a privilege museum was a very important tuing which, he believea, was not included in to have at our command. While the charter of any other Eoyal Society in welcoming His Excellency to the Australia. They knew, from, ample evi- Eoyal Society, ihe ventured to express dence, since His Excellency's arrival m a hope that, while it was certain Tasmania, that he took a very warm and that the present moiment was not an sj'mpathetic interest in the welfare of this opporttine one at which to discuss heavy State, and the Fellows of the siociety expenditure, yet they believed the pre- hoped that His Excellency would derive sent difficulties would rioU away, and that pleasure from his 'association with th'at His Excellency's tenure of office, as society. They felt confident the society Governor, and as President of the Society, vroald derive great advantage, encourage- might be signalised by the addition of a ment, and assistance from His Excel- Technological m'useum to the National lency's ass'ociatioin with the society from Museum of Tasmania. He extended to time to time. He desired briefly to al- His Excellency a very cordial welcome on lude to a few instances in the past his- belhalf of the Fellows of the Society. (Ap- tory of the society. In the early days of plause.) its existence, considerable difficulty arose His Excelleaicy the Governor said fie regarding land for its use. One Govern- begged the Fellows to accept his very sin- ment after another promised land, but a cere thanks for the extremely kind terms great deal 'of correspondence took pla3e, which they had extended to him. and a few years ago they found that their He felt proud to occupy tlie chair whidh title to a portion of tihe land supposed to had been occupied by John Franklin, Wil- be obtained was doubtful. Tlie recoirds liam Denison, and Eobert Hamilton. (Ap- of the siociety were searched, and a state- plause.) He was unprepared for the sug- ment was prepared, showing beyond all gestion that was thrown out by the Vice- doubt, that while it was the general in- President, but (for the short time he had tention to' grant the society a large block had to reflect upon it) it seemed to be one of land, including Franklin-square, ultim- that deserved consideration. He trusted ately the land given was confined to the that before his time wa:s over, the idea block between Macquarie - street and Da- might be carried into practice. He vey-street, now occupied by the society. tlianked them once more for their kind Their title to that larg» ajea of land -was Trel'oome, and they would now proceed to now assured, but he desired to refer par- the business of the evening. (Applause.) ticularly to a letter found in the corre- spondence written by the early secretary, New Fellows. in which he spoke cf the necessity for Major E. C. Lewis, D.S.O., and Dr. ample space being reser'ped to the society. E. E. Whishaw, and Mr. Horace Watson, He S'aid the society "must be cumulative were elected Fellows of tfie society. — Apologies. arctic investigators; Sir Joseph Hooker, the great botanist; Sir George <}rey, tlie Apologies for unavoidable absence were eminent colonial statesman and poli- received from the Aichbishop of H )!)a.rt, tician; the Keverend Mr. Colenso, the ar- Mr. T. Stephens. M.A.. F.G.S., fuul Mr. dent naturalist; the Reverend Di. Lillie. L. Kod way. an eminent scholar and divine; Sir Thomas Mitchell, the Australian ex- PiesiJent's Address. plorer. I could greatly prolong the list. His Excellency the Governor, as Pres'i- but I fear to weary you. The names I deut, deliveied the followiug presidential have recalled to you are probably already addres's : — growing faint in the memory of the pie- Mr. Vice - President, members of sent generation. But the roll of the so- the Council, and Fellows of the ciety contains one name which is fresh in Koyal Society, — Among the many all our minds and hearts—that of Sir honourable and agieeab/le positions James Agnew, w'hose keen intellect, and held by the Governor of Tasmania, there whose warm poAver of sympathetic in- is none more honourable, none moie agree- terest, pervade the whole history of the able, than that of President of the l\'oyal societ.v. from its earliest days, sixty years Society of Tasmania. Not only can the ago, until November of last .year, when he Royal Society claim to be one of the oldest was called to his lest. All Tasmania owes scientific bodies of Australasia, but it may Sir James Agnew a deep debt of grati- also justly pride itself on having contri- tude for the good deeds, for the open-hand- buted largely to the stores of science and ed munificence, and for the noble example, research' which have been laid up in this by which, during a long life, he helped to great Southern Doriiinion, The societrj' raise the character of her people, to cheer had its beginning in an informal as-socia- their hearts, and to brighten their lives. lion, of Sir Joliu Franklin and of men Tasmania and her Royal Society need no among his friends and acquaintances, who visible monument to keep alive their re- shared with him his love of knowledge and membrance of Sir James Agnew. But. if of inquiiy. Under Sir John Franklin's they did, it may be found in marble, in care, this association grew, until in 18-11. the beautiful work of the sculptor's art. before he relinquished his office of Gover- which adorns the Art Gallery of our nor, it was foimed into an organised so- Museum, and "which he has bequeathed to ciety, called the Tasmanian Society. But, Tasmania. The Honourable C. H. Giant it was not until three years later, when and Dr. Bright, who passsd away only a Sir John Franklin had left the co'lony. few weeks before Sir James Agnew\ have that the institution which he had brought left also a record of earnest and success- into being, and which he had iso lovingly ful work, in the service of the objects of cherished, reached its fulness of strength the Royal Society, and of high aims for and dignity. On the 12Lh September. 1844. the improvement of the community among Sir J. E, Eaidley-Wilmor, Sir .Tohii whom they lived and laboured. And now. Franklin's succe-sor in the Government before I c'lose my testimony, which I feel of Tasmania, was able to proclaim that to be inadequate and impel feet, to the the Royal So':iety. with an approved con- zeal, the perseverance, and the ability stitution, and witli a grant of i.'4-OO a year which have been devoted to the further- from publi.- funds, had been formally es- ance of the objects of the society. I should tablished. At the same time, the Gover- not be doing justice to my subject, if I nor was authorised *"o make the auspicious were to omit the name of our secretary, announcement that Her Majesty the Mr. Alexander Morton. I have hardly yet Queen had signified her consent to be Pat- ceased to be a stranger among you. But, ron of the society. For fifty-eight years already, the assiduity, the tact, the power until by death the Empire lost the noblest of organisation, which Mr. Morton has and be-t Sovereign that has ever been l>rought to bear upon the promotion of the Eoyal Societv continued to hold and the interests of the Royal Society in par- treasure this signal mark of honour.