THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF TASMANIA. 



The Royal Society of Tasniania was founded on the 14th Octo- 

 ber, 1843,"^ by His Excellency Sir John Eardley Eardley AVilmot. 

 Lieutenant Governoi- of Van Diemen's Land, as "The Botani- 

 cal and Horticultural Society of Van Diemen's Land." The 

 Botanical Gardens in the Queen's Domain, near Hobart, were 

 shortly afterwards placed under its management, and a grant 

 of £400 a year towards their maintenance was made by the 

 Government. In 1844, His Excellercy announced to the 

 Society that Her ]\[ajesty the Queen had signified her con- 

 sent to become its patron ; and that its designation should 

 thenceforAvard be ''The Royal Societv of Van Diemen's Land 

 for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement of Science." 



In 1848 the Society established the Tasmanian Museum ; and 

 in 1849 it commenced the publication of its -Papers and 

 Proceedings." 



In 1854 the Legislative Council of Tasmania by "Tlie Roval 

 Society Act" made provision for vesting the property of the 

 Society in trustees, and for other matters connected with the 

 management of its affairs. 



In 1855 the name of the Colony was changed to Tasmania, 

 and the Society then became "Tlie Royal Societv of Tasmania 

 for Horticulture, Botany and the Advancement of Science." 



In I860 a piece of ground at the corner of Argyle and Mac- 

 quarie-streets, Hobart, was given by the Crown to the Society 

 as a site for a Museum, and a grant of £3,000 was made foi* the 

 erection of a building. The Society contributed £1.800 towards 

 the cost, and the new Museum was finished in 1862. 



In 1885 the Society gave back to the Crown the Botanical 

 Gardens and the Museum, A^hich, with the collections of the 

 Museum, were vested in a body of trustees, of whom six are 

 chosen from the Society. In consideration of the services 

 it had rendered in the promotion of science, and in the for- 

 mation and management of the ^Museum and Gardens, the right 

 was reserved to the Society to have exclusive possession of 

 sufficient and convenient rooms in the Museum, for the safe 

 custody of its Library, and for its meetings, and for all other 

 purposes connected with it. 



In 1911 the Parliament of Tasmania, by "Hie Royal Society 

 Act 1911," created the Society a body corporate by the name of 

 ''The Royal Society of Tasmania," with perpetual succession. 



^ The objects of the Society are declared by its Rules to be 

 ''the prosecution of the study of Science in its^ various branches, 

 and more especially tlie development of a knowledge of the 

 physical character and natural history of Tasmania and the 

 neighbouring States." 



His Majesty the King is Patron of the Society; and His 

 Excellency the Governor of Tasmania is President. 



