1 38 Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. 



The publication of the 1st Part of the 3rd Volume of the Memoirs 

 of the Society, was announced by the President. 



At the conclusion of the business of the evening, An instrument 

 contrived by Mr. Henry Atkinson, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, to illus- 

 trate some of the phenomena of rotation, was submitted to the in- 

 spection of the members, by Mr. Riddle. —It consists of a flat circular 

 disk, through the centre of which passes a small endless screw, having 

 a cup in one of its extremities. When the cup is below the centre of 

 gravity, and set on a point on which the disk (inclined to the horizon) 

 is made to rotate in its own plane, the whole rotating plane per- 

 forms at the same time, a slow revolution round the perpendicular to 

 the horizon, which passes through the point of rotation ; and the re- 

 volution of the plane is in the same direction as the rotation. When 

 the point of rotation is above the centre of gravity, the plane moves 

 slowly round in a direction contrary to that of rotation, affording an 

 apt illustration of precession. When the point of rotation is in the 

 centre of gravity, the position of the revolving plane continues per- 

 manent. 



ROYAL GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF CORNWALL. 



At a special meeting of this Society, assembled for the express 

 purpose, the following Address of Congratulation was unanimously 

 adopted. 



To Davies Gilbert, Esq. M.P. fyc. &>c. 



Sir, — At the last annual meeting of this Society, over which you 

 have presided from its first institution, and which is so deeply in- 

 debted, in its origin and advancement, to your zeal and ability, we 

 ventured to express a hope that your continued exertions, and sue 

 cessful labours in the wider fields of philosophy and science, might 

 be crowned with honour in a higher sphere, by your being elected 

 to the office of President of the Royal Society of London. 



It is gratifying to us to see that our wishes are fulfilled ; and we 

 most sincerely congratulate you on being chosen to fill that chair, 

 which having been the seat of Newton, may be deemed the throne 

 of intellectual eminence. 



That two of our countrymen, natives of this remote province, al- 

 most of the same spot, should have been raised in succession to the 

 dignity of this station, is to us a source of pleasure and of pride. 



As members of this Society, we rejoice at an appointment which 

 forms for us, though at an humble distance, a connecting link with 

 the most renowned Society of our country, and brings us within 

 the influence of its notice and support j for although your enlarged 

 mind will lead you equally to protect and encourage every branch 

 of science and knowledge, since they all mutually assist each other, 

 blending their various colours into one ray of intellectual light ; 

 yet we shall indulge the feeling, that Geology has, as it were, a 

 filial claim upon your regard, and will experience that kind and 

 fostering care which may fairly be asked for a science, now only in 

 its infancy. 



While 



