ROYAL SOCIETY OF TASMANIA 



The Royal Society of Tasmania was founded on the 14th 

 October, 1843, by His Excellency Sir John Eardley Eardley 

 Wilmot, Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen's Land, as "The 

 Botanical and Horticultural Society of Van Diemen's Land." 

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

 shortly afterwards placedi under its management, and a grant 

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

 Government. In 1844, His Excellency announced to the Society 

 that Her Majesty the Queen had signified her consent to become 

 its patron; and that its designation should thenceforward be 

 "The Royal Society 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' Pro- 

 ceedings." 



In 1854 the Legislative Council of Tasmania by "The Royal 

 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 Oolonv was changed to Tasmania, 

 and the Society then became "The Royal Society of Tasmania 

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



In ISfiO 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 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 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 formation 

 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, ancf for all other purposes connect- 

 ed with it, 



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

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

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



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. 



