PEOCEEDINGS: ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 127 



In the afternoon of this day the Duke "and Duchess of Northumber- 

 land gave a garden party at Syon House on the .Thames, about eight 

 miles from Hyde Park Corner — Syon House, one of the famous houses 

 of England, with beautiful grounds, containing a wealth of art. Hun- 

 dreds of London society people also attended the garden party. 



In the evening one of the famous conversaziones of the Royal Society 

 was held at Burlington House. The contrast between a conversazione 

 of the Royal Society, from the social point of view, and one of the social 

 functions of the Washington Academy of Sciences is striking to say 

 the least. Wealth, beauty, and nobility abound at the one, while at 

 the other the list is restricted to scientific attainments and personal 

 beauty. 



At Burlington House on Wednesday night, among other interesting 

 exhibits, there were shown the chronometer by Arnold, used by Captain 

 Cook on his second and third voyages; an electrical machine constructed 

 by Doctor Joseph Priestley, the original model of Sir Humphrey 

 Davey's miner's safety lamp, a pair of compasses which belonged to Sir 

 Christopher Wren, and Newton's original account of his reflecting tele- 

 scope. 



Thursday morning also was devoted to specially conducted visits 

 to points of interest, and in the afternoon His Majesty the King, Patron 

 of the Royal Society, and Her Majesty the Queen received the President 

 and Council of the Royal Society and the delegates at Windsor Castle. 

 This was a function that commanded especial interest from the foreign 

 delegates, and, curiously enough, especially from those coming from 

 countries whose governments are of the republican form. The invi- 

 tations alone, issued by the Lord Chamberlain at the command of their 

 Majesties, and the cards of entrance signed by Chesterfield, Lord Stew- 

 ard, were sufficiently novel to the republicans to demand their vivid 

 interest. Special trains from Paddington Station took the delegates 

 to Windsor, and on their arrival at the famous castle they were con- 

 ducted through the rooms by Lord Chesterfield, and eventually formed 

 in line upon the Rose Terrace. Finally the King and Queen appeared 

 descending the staircase, and stood alone at its foot. Several person- 

 alities, including King George of Greece, stood carelessly upon the stair- 

 case above watching the proceedings. The delegates, 300 in all, were 

 grouped according to countries, and passed in single file, each receiving 

 a warm grasp of the hand and some of them a pleasant word or so from 

 both the King and Queen. One of the members of the Washington 

 Academy of Sciences, namely Major Squier, now military attache to 

 the United States Embassy at London, and on this occasion represent- 

 ing the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, received an especial word of 

 greeting from the King, with whom he had hs^d a long personal inter- 

 view a few days before on his arrival in London to assume his diplomatic 

 position. 



Following this reception by the King and Queen, the delegates de- 

 scended to the gardens below, where a gigantic garden party, attended 



