152 FOUNDATION AND EAKLY WOEK 



R.S. TAS. 



title was used. In 1911, by tlie Royal Society Act, 1911, 

 the Act of 1854 was repealed, and the Society was made a 

 body corporate by the name of "The Royal Society of Tas- 

 ''mania," with perpetual succession. 



The Membership. 



The number of original members nominated by Sir 

 Eardley Wilmot on 14th October, 1843, was 50 (including 

 the President). By the beginning of 1844 the number had 

 increased to nearly 100. 



The number of members in 1847 was 81. After Dr. 

 Milligan's appointment, the numbers grew rapidly. At 

 the end of 1848 there were about 120; in 1849 about 140. 

 The prosperity which followed the discovery of gold en- 

 abled the Society to increase rapidly. In the yeaxs 1853 

 to 1855 the number of names in the lists in the annual 

 reports (in addition to honorary and corresponding mem- 

 bers) is about 330; but the names of those who failed to 

 pay their subscriptions were not then removed so promptly 

 as ooir rules now require, and this number included many 

 whose membership had lapsed. The largest number who 

 paid subscriptions in any year was about 240 (in 1854). 

 In comparing these numbers with the membership in later 

 years, it must be remembered that in the early fifties many 

 scientific men in neighbouring colonies which had no scien- 

 tific societies joined our Society ; and the privileges in con- 

 nection with the Gardens attracted many local members. 

 From 1856 the membership decreased, and in 1863 only 

 about 100 annual subscriptions were received- (60) 



The subscription was originally £1, with an entrance fee 

 of £2. The entrance fee was abolished in 1844 or 1845 

 (61). In 1853 the subscription was raised to £1 10s. (62) 



A Northern branch was formed at Launceston on 26th 

 September, 1853, at a meeting held at Franklin Lodge, a 

 building in the Horticultural Society's Gardens, now the 



(60) The Society has always had the support of many members 

 who have not been specially interested in its work as a learned 

 body, and the number of these has varied with the prosperity of the 

 island, and the energy with which members have invited their friends 

 to join From 1860 to 1880 the number who paid annual subscriptions 

 was usually from 80 to 100, rising occasionally to 120, In the early 

 eighties the numbers were about 120, and in 1886 and 1886. 148. After 

 1886 the numbers decreased again, and by 1904 the Society was 

 reduced to 67 ordinary members. The number increased from 1907, 

 and now is 156. the largest for over 50 years. 



(61) Report, May, 1845, p. 11. 



(62) Report, 1853, p. 4. No change in the subscription was made until 

 190S, when associates were admitted at 15/, and the subscription for coun- 

 try members was reduced to £1. In 1912 the subscription for all mem- 

 bers became £1/1/. 



