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PK0CEED1NGS OF THE SOCIETY. 



MEETING 



Held on the 15th of April, 1908, at 20 Hanover Square, W. 

 Conrad Beck, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the Meeting of the 18th of March, 1908, were read 

 and confirmed. 



A Donation of an Old Microscope (made by Shuttleworth about 

 1786) from Mr. W. E. Baxter was announced, the instrument being 

 exhibited in the room, and described by Mr. C. F. Rousselet. 



The Chairman said he was quite sure that the Fellows present would 

 pass a very hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Baxter for this addition to 

 their collection of instruments, which was now becoming an important 

 and interesting one. 



The thanks of the Meeting were unanimously voted for this donation. 



Messrs. Watson and Sons exhibited a new form of Museum Micro- 

 scope which had been designed by Mr. C. 0. Waterhouse, of the Natural 

 History Museum at South Kensington. The instrument was entirely 

 inclosed in a glass case, excepting the eye-piece, by turning which an 

 alteration of focus could be made. All the working parts of the instru- 

 ment were secured against interference or removal by the public, who 

 could make use of the instrument when once it had been adjusted, and 

 an object placed upon the stage by an attendant. A drum-shaped stage 

 for twelve objects, mounted on the ordinary 3 in. by 1 in. slides, could 

 be rotated from the exterior of the case. 



The thanks of the Society were voted to Messrs. "Watson for sending 

 this Microscope to the Meeting for exhibition. 



Mr. Pigg, in reply to an inquiry from the Chairman as to a specimen 

 of Microscopic Writing which he was exhibiting, said that the slide was 

 a specimen of Webb's diamond writing. The Lord's Prayer, containing 

 227 letters, had been written in the space of 2W000 sc l- m -> which was 

 in the ratio of 15 bibles to the square inch. A *fe in. objective was 

 necessary to decipher the writing. The size of the space occupied by 

 the writing is 4^ in. by 5 } iT in. The ratio of letters to the square inch 

 is 53,880,000. 



The Chairman asked where Mr. Webb's writing machine was at the 

 present time. 



Mr. Pigg said he did not know. 



Mr. C. L. Curties said that Mr. Webb destroyed it before his death. 



