THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF TASMANIA 



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

 ber. L843, by 1 1 is Excellency Sir John Eardley Eardley Wilmot, 

 Lieutenant Governor of Van Diem en' 8 Land, as "The Botani- 

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

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

 shortly afterwards placed under its management, and a grant 

 oi £400 a year towards then- maintenance was made bj the 

 Government. In 1844, His Excellency announced to the 

 Society thai Her Majesty the Queen had signified her con- 

 sent to become its patron; and that its designation should 

 thenceforward be "The Royal Society of Van Diemen'a Land 

 for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement <>i Science." 



In 1848 the Society established the Tasmanian Museum; and 

 in L849 il commenced the publication of its "Papers and Pro- 

 oeedin 



In 1854 the Legislative Council ol Tasmania by "The Royal 

 Society Act" made provision for resting the property of the 



Society in trustees, and for other matters connected with the 

 management of its affairs. 



In 1865 the name of the Colon} was changed to Tasmania, 

 and the Society then became "The Royal Society of Tasmania 

 for Horticulture, Botany and the Advancement oi Science." 



In 1860 a piece of ground at the corner of Argvle and Mac- 



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



ite for a .Museum, and a granl of £3,000 was made for 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, which, with the collections ol the 



Museum, weif 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 righl 

 was reserved to the Society to have exclusive possession of 

 sufficient and convenient looms in the Museum, for the ^in- 

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

 purposes connected with it. 



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



Act, I'M I," created the Society a body corporate by the name 



of 'The Royal Society of Tasmania," with perpetual succes- 

 sion. 



The object of the Society is declared by its Rules to be 

 "the advancement of knowledge." 



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

 Excellency the Governor of Tasmania is President. 



