1920] General Monthly Meeting 149 



The Chairman announced the decease of Dr. R. Messel, on 

 April 18, and the following Resolution, passed by the Managers at 

 their Meeting held this day, was unanimously read and adopted : — 



Resolved, That the Managers desire to record their sense of the loss sus- 

 tained by the Institution and the world of Industrial Chemistry by the death 

 of Rudolph Messel, F.R.S., President and Foreign Secretary of the Society 

 of Chemical Industry, 1913-1917 ; Vice-President of the Chemical Society ; 

 Member of the Board of Studies, University of London ; Member of Governing 

 Body, Imperial College of Science and Technology ; and formerly a Manager 

 and Visitor of the Royal Institution. 



Dr. Messel was elected a Member of the Royal Institution in 1890, and 

 was a constant attendant at the Lectures for a period of thirty years. He 

 was a man of high scientific attainments, and took great interest in the 

 internal equipment of the Institution, presenting a bronze bust of Davy in 

 1900, and was a generous contributor to the Research Fund. The name of 

 Messel will always be identified with his brilliant invention of. the Industrial 

 Synthetic Production of Sulphuric Anhydride by what is known as the Contact 

 Process, thereby creating in this country a new and most important industry 

 of a vast importance in production of colouring matter from coal tar, and 

 various other industries. His success stimulated scientific enquiry, which has 

 extended the study of contact reactions to the production of bodies of organic 

 and inorganic origin, which is reflected in the newest and most important 

 synthetical industries developed in recent years. 



The Managers desire, on behalf of the Members, to express their deep 

 sympathy with the family in their bereavement. 



The Presents received since the last Meeting were laid on the 

 table, and the thanks of the Members returned for the same, viz. : — 



The Secretary of State for India— Records of the Geological Survey, Vol. 



XLIX. Part 3. 8vo. 1919. 

 Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa : Bulletin, Nos. 91, 92, 94. 8vo. 



1920. 

 Kodaikanal Observatory : Bulletin, Nos. 55-61. 4to. 1916-19. 

 Memoirs, Vol. I. Part 2. 4to. 1917. 

 Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce — Journal, April 1920. 8vo. 

 Aeronautical Society, Royal — Aeronautical Journal, April 1920. 8vo. 

 American Academy of Arts and Sciences — Proceedings, Vol. LV. No. 1. 



8vo. 1919. 

 American Geographical Society— Geographical Review, Jan. 192 J. 8vo. 

 American Philosophical Society — Proceedings, Vol. LVIII. Nos. 6-7. 8vo. 



1919. 

 Astronomical Society, Royal — Monthly Notices, Vol. LXXX. No. 4. 8vo. 



1920. 

 Australia, Commonwealth Institute of Science and Industry — Science and 



Industry, Vol. II. No. 2. 8vo. 1920. 

 Bulletin, No. 16. 8vo. 1919. 

 Batavia, Royal Observatory — Verhandelingen, No. 5. Atmospheric Variations. 



By C. Braak. 8vo. 1919. 

 Boston Public Library— Bulletin, Fourth Series, Vol. II. No. 1. 8vo. 1920. 

 British Architects, Royal Institute of— Journal, Third Series, Vol. XXVII. 



No. 12. 4to. 1920. 

 British Astronomical Association — Journal, Vol. XXX. No. 6. 8vo. 1920. 

 British Dental Association — Journal, Vol. XLI. Nos. 8-9. 8vo. 1920. 



