104 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 



THE SYMPOSIUM. 



The JloYAL Microscopical Society, the Faraday Society, the 

 Optical Society, aud the Photomicrocraphic Society in co-opera- 

 tion with the Technical Optics Committee of the British Science 

 Guild, meeting in joint session, held a Symposium and G-eneral 

 Discussion on 



*'THE MICROSCOPE: ITS DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION 

 AND APPLICATIONS," 



on Wednesday, January 14th, 1920, by kind permission of the Royal 

 Society in its Rooms at Burlington House, W.l. 



The meeting extended over two sessions : from 4.15 to 6.30, and 

 from 8.15 to 10.30 p.m. During the afternoon preceding the meeting 

 an Exhibition was held illustrating recent developments in the Science 

 of Microscopy and the latest applications of the Microscope in various 

 branches of industry. There was an attendance of not far short of one 

 thousand. The proceedings were of an enthusiastic nature, and the 

 Exhibition was probably the most important ever held on this subject. 



' Sir Robert Hadfield, Bart., D.Sc, D.Met., F.R.S., President of 

 the Faraday Society, presided over the Discussion, and delivered an 

 Introductory Address. 



The Chairman opened with a brief history of the Societies taking 

 part in the Symposium, and explained how the question of such a 

 Symposium first arose. He pointed out the unenviable position of the 

 British Optical Industry at the outbreak of war and the necessity of 

 ensuring that such a condition of affairs should never recur. He then 

 gave a short history of the microscope from ancient times up to the 

 present day, touching on the work of those who have contributed to 

 the development of tliis powerful instrument of research. Subsequently 

 he dealt with the application of the microscope to modern metallurgy, 

 emphasizing some of the subsidiary points which must be attended to 

 for complete success. In addition, he dealt with certain aspects of 

 crystallography, and with the ultra-microscope, two subjects which are 

 intimately related to the work of the modern microscopist. An adden- 

 dum to his Address consists of a short Bibliography of some of the 

 most important work relating to microscopy and metallography. The 

 printed Address is accompanied by many plates and figures, including 

 portraits of Sor])y and Dallinger. 



Mr. J. E. Barnard, President of the Royal Microscopical Society, 

 delivered an address in which he indicated future lines of development 

 in microscope design and in microscopy. 



The address considered the microscope chiefly as used in biological 

 research. The modern microscope ^as mechanically far more unstable 



