XX ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Mr. Stiles adds. " It is my intention to request the National Academy, 

 the Smithsonian Institution, the Society of American Naturalists, the 

 American Ornithologists' Union, the American Association for the Ad- 

 vancement of Science,- and the Eoyal Society of Canada, each to appoint 

 one of its members as a representative upon an advisory committee, to 

 which I may submit for approval, or disapproval, all the questions which 

 I intend to sujjport in the meetings of the international commission, and 

 with which 1 may advise regarding concessions to be made or requested 

 on those points upon which American opinion diti'ers from the views held 

 in some of the other countries. It is needless to add that my vote in the 

 international commission will be determined by the action of this 

 advisory committee, should the occasion arise that mj' personal opinion 

 upon any particular point differs from the opinion of the gentlemen 

 appointed to advise me." 



The council recommend that the circular of Mr. Stiles be referred to 

 the consideration of the fourth section. 



15. A National Museum. 



Among the matters of importance upon which the Eoyal Society of 

 Canada has ventured to memorialize the government and to which it has 

 devoted attention almost from the date of its organization, is that of the 

 provision of a suitable building for a National Museum. While other 

 recommendations of the society have been acted upon and have already 

 produced evidences of their utility, the circumstances have been such 

 that the government has not yet seen its way to complying with this 

 particular suggestion. The want is now, however, more pressing than 

 ever and the council therefore take advantage of this occasion again to 

 urge in the strongest possible manner the almost absolute necessity of 

 taking some immediate step in this direction. 



What is immediatelj^ and urgently rec[uired is a tire-proof building 

 suitable for the proper exhibition and preservation of the collections of 

 the Geological Survey, with contiguous offices. These collections at 

 present constitute the National Museum in so far as geology, mineralogy, 

 natural history and ethnology are concerned, but it is to be presumed 

 that other collections relating to different lines of the industrial and 

 artistic work of the Dominion would eventually be included in a general 

 museum, and provision for their addition should be a part of the plan. 



The collections of the Geological Survey represent in a concrete 

 form and in a manner which could not be duplicated, the work done in 

 Canadian geolog}'- and allied branches during more than fifty years. 

 They are still growing and atTan increasing ratio in correspondence with 

 the rapidly developing mining industries of the conntry, but even at the 

 present moment their proper display would necessitate nearly twice the 

 floor and wall space afforded by the antiquated and unsafe building in 



