6o PROCEEDINGS OE THE 



now His Majesty Gustaf V. Sverdrup's polar journey, 1898— 

 1902, and Anmndseu's voyage towards the magnetic pole were 

 furthered by State aid. 



Thus for more than 40 years did the late King give his generous 

 help to many journeys undertaken by his Swedish and'Norwegian 

 subjects northward ; but he also encouraged travellers in other 

 directions, as for instance Dr. Sven Hedin in Central Asia. Many 

 localities have received names after the late King, as Prins Oscars 

 Land and Kung Karls Land (Spitsbergen), Kung Oscars Bay 

 (North Asia), Konung Oscars Hamn (Greenland), Konung Oscars 

 Fjord, Oscar II.s Land (Spitsbergen); from Dr. Nansen we have 

 Kong Oscars Halvo (Taimyr Bay), and from Sverdrup Kong 

 Oscars Land (G-rinnell Land) ; these are in the Arctic regions. 

 Towards the Antarctic we find Kong Oscars Land (Grahams 

 Land), Kap Oscar (Victoria Land); and in Asia Dr. Hedin dis- 

 covered Konung Oscars Berg on the northern borders of Tibet. 



During the last few years intervals of illness had caused the 

 Crown Prince to act as Eegent. After some weeks of increasing 

 illness. King Oscar II. died in his palace at Stockholm on the 

 8th December, 1907. It will be remembered that in our General 

 Meeting of 6th June, 1907, a telegram of respectful congratulation 

 was sent to Their Majesties the King and Queen of Sweden, on 

 the celebration of their golden wedding, an event which was 

 destined to be the last of the kind in the monarch's lifetime. 



[B. D. J.] 



William Eome, P.S.A., born in 1842, was the son of In- 

 spector Eome of the Esses Constabulary, and as a boy received 

 his early education at the National Schools of his native Burnham. 

 On leaving school he entered the well-known establishment of 

 " Sweetings " in Cheapside, and gradually rose until he became 

 sole proprietor. He threw himself energetically into Corporation 

 matters, and was largely the means of establishing the loan ex- 

 hibitions at the Guildhall Art Gallery. He filled many civic 

 appointments, and in the neighbourhood of his residence, Creeksea 

 Place, Burnham-on-Crouch, his energies were widespread. At his 

 house he had amassed a valuable collection of antiquarian treasures, 

 medals, and coins, which he was ready to contribute to exhibitions^ 

 After the opening of the Spanish art loan exhibition in the City 

 of London, towards which he had worked hard, the King of Spain 

 conferred upon him the Eoyal Order of Isabella the Catholic. 



In the spring of 1907, Mr. Eome had a slight apoplectic attack, 

 from which he was gradually recovering when bronchitis super- 

 vened, and after a fortnight's illness he died at his country-house, 

 on Sunday, 20th October, 1907, in his 66th year. His connection 

 with this Society dated from 5th December, 1889. [B. D. J.] 



Howard Saunders, E.Z.S., died on the 22ud October, 1907, 

 at the age of 72, after a long and painful illness. In him, 

 as in so many great naturalists, the collecting instinct seems to 



