Notices and Proceedings of Scientific Societies, 267 



electricity. The author of the paper proposed to connect the researches of 

 Dr Franklin with the chemico-electrical experiments of Davy. 



The first part of a paper was read, on the operations carried on to deter- 

 niine the difference of level between the river Thames at London Bridge, 

 «nd the sea at Sheerness, by A. J. Lloyd, Esq. 



Geological Society Jan. 19 and Feb. 2. A paper, entitled " Supple- 

 mentary Observations on the Structure of the Austrian and Bavarian Alps," 

 by R. J. Murchison, Esq. was read. 



Feb. 16. A letter was read from Peter Cunningham, Esq. dated New- 

 castle, on Hwnter's River, New South Wales, Oct. 16, 1829, and commu- 

 nicated by John Barrow, Esq. F.K.S. The letter was written with a view 

 to give some insight into the former state of the interior of New South 

 Wales. 



A memoir was read " On the Geology of the Island of Juan Fernandez, 

 in the Pacific Ocean, by Alex. Caldcleugh, Esq. F.G.S." [A notice of 

 the botany of this island will be found in our present Number, p. 248, supra ^ 

 the geological facts mentioned therein are corroborated by Mr Caldcleugh. 

 He remarks, that the island is about 12 miles in length, and 4 in breadth, 

 possessing three ports, and consisting of very high land, the culminating 

 •point of which rises to about 3005 feet above the sea. All the rocks 

 consist of greenstone and trap, of various mineralogical structure ; the basalt 

 in some parts is almost columnar, and in others has a peaked and serrated 

 outline, the mass being, here and there, traversed by dykes. Owing to the 

 peculiar character of this basalt, and especially to the great quantity of 

 •olivine it contains, Mr Caldcleugh compares its age with that of Bohemia, 

 the Rhine, the Vivarrais, and Beaulieu, in Provence. 



Feb. 18. A.nniversary. — The anniversary meeting of the Society was 

 held at its apartments in Somerset House, on the morning of Friday the 

 18th inst., for the purpose of electing officers for the ensuing year. The 

 Rev. Adam Sedgwick, Woodwardian Professor in the University of Cam- 

 bridge, F.R. S., and President, in the chair. 



The late Dr Wollaston having bequeathed to the Geological society 

 £, 1000, the interest to be employed annually in recompensing or encoura- 

 ging geological inquiries, and the council having directed a medal to be 

 struck, bearing the impress of Dr Wollaston, the first of these, together 

 with a sum of money, had been adjudicated to Mr W. Smith. Before the 

 delivery of the medal, the President gave a chronological account of the 

 discoveries of Mr Smith, by which he justified the terms of the following 

 award, viz. : — 



" That the first Wollaston medal be given to Mr W. Smith, in considera- 

 tion of his being a great original discoverer of English geology, and especially 

 for his having been the first to discover and teach the identification of strata, and 

 their succession, by means of imbedded fossils." * 



The undermentioned gentlemen were declared to be chosen out of the 

 new council, as the officers of the society : — 



President, Roderick Impey Murchison, Esq. F.R.S. F.L.S. &c. Vice 

 Presidents, W. J. Broderip, Esq. F.R.S. F.L.S. ; Davies Gilbert, Esq. 

 M.P. V.P.R.S. &c. ; the Rev. W. Buckland, D.D. F.R.S. &c. ; and the 

 Rev. W. Conybeare, F.R.S. &c. Secretaries, Dr Turner, F.R.S.L. 

 ■& E. and Henry Thomas De la Beche, Esq. F.R.S. F.L.S. 



Foreign secretary, Charles Lyell, Esq. F.R.S. F.L.S. Treasurer, 

 John Taylor, Esq. F.R.S. 



In the evening, the Fellows and their friends, to the number of ninety. 



* Some pertinent remarks'on this adjudication will be found in the Number of Dr 

 Brewster's Journal for the present month. 



