Annual Report of the Council. 245 



made his name, and that of his brothers, celebrated in all 

 countries. All branches of electro-technics show the fruits 

 of his inventive genius ; it is only necessary here to allude 

 to his improvements in the self-exciting dynamo machine 

 and the introduction of the armature which bears the name 

 of Siemens. In 1886 Werner Siemens presented a sum of 

 ;^25,ooo to the German Government for the foundation of 

 a national scientific and technical institution. Although 

 in existence only for a few years, this institution has already 

 done great service to pure and applied science. His 

 autobiography, which has already been alluded to, forms an 

 interesting and fascinating volume, giving a graphic account 

 of his successes and failures. Amongst the many incidents 

 recorded in that volume, the following is characteristic. 

 Siemens had taken a leading part in extending the tele- 

 graph in many parts of Germany. A young lady wrote to 

 him a pathetic letter, in which she explained that he was* 

 going to ruin her husband, who had established a pigeon 

 post between Cologne and Brussels. Siemens answered that 

 her husband had better roast his pigeons, but promised his 

 assistance if they would go to London to establish a news 

 agency. The husband followed the advice ; his name was 

 Renter, and Reuter's news agency is a proof that Siemen's 

 suggestion was not a bad one. Dr. Werner von Siemens 

 died on December 6th, 1892. His lectures and papers 

 are published under the title " Gesammelte Abhandlungen 

 u. Vortrage." He was elected an honorary member of the 

 Society on April 30th, 1889. 



A. S. 



