290 NATURAL SCIENCE. May, 



scorpions brought to the poll some 400 Fellows, and resulted in the 

 election of the Council's nominee. The majority, we understand, 

 was not large ; but, as so often occurs with the peculiar system of 

 voting enforced by councils, the scrutineers were unable to declare 

 the exact numbers of the votes. 



In spite of the bad feeling stirred up, especially by the supporters 

 of the Council, we rejoice that this fight has taken place. If the 

 councils of other societies are disposed to the autocratic attitude 

 of the Council of the Chemical Society, it is, indeed, about time that 

 a little wholesome public opinion were brought to bear on them. 

 This attitude seems to us illogical, peevish, and ridiculous. 

 Theoretically, the council and officers of each society are elected 

 by the fellows of the society ; theoretically, each fellow has a vote, 

 which he can cast for any other fellow, or even for himself; 

 theoretically, though it is the duty of the council to submit to the 

 fellows names for election as officers and council, it is in the 

 power of the fellows to propose other names in their stead, and to 

 reject, by their votes, the nominees of the council. We do not find 

 it stated in the Charter or Bye-laws of any society, that its council 

 alone has the power of election. But practically, each council does 

 elect its successors. The election by the fellows is as much a farce 

 as the election of an archbishop. The modus operandi is so arranged 

 that opposition is almost inevitably abortive under ordinary 

 circumstances. The method of voting must indeed be cumbrous 

 when the scrutineers cannot count the votes, even in many hours. 

 And when extraordinary circumstances arise, and pubHcity affords 

 the opposition some chance of success, then, it appears, the proposers 

 of a rival to the council's anointed, are to be gibbetted in the public 

 press as lovers of disorder, ill-wishers to the commonweal, vile 

 traducers of respectable eminence, and, " iinkindest cut of all," as 

 young men. 



Experience leads us to sympathise with the difficulties of councils, 

 and with the irritation aroused by opposition. None the less, we think 

 it would be to the advantage of every learned society, in many ways, 

 if its council would remember that, theoretically at least, it was 

 elected by the fellows ; if it would cease to regard itself as a superior 

 " Treasury Bench," and the rest of the society as " a factious opposi- 

 tion below the gangway." More openness would promote better 

 feeling. More facilities for discussion of the society's affairs would 

 engender more interest on the part of the fellows. A recognised 

 opportunity for fellows to propose their own candidates for the 

 council and officers, and the full publication of the names of all 

 nominees on one ballotting paper, would withdraw the solemn pro- 

 ceedings at Annual Meetings further from the region of burlesque, and 

 might often extract the council itself from a provoking dilemma. 

 Instances of such dilemmas are best left to present themselves to the 

 mind of the intelligent reader. Finally, it would not be amiss if some 



