PEOCEEDINGS FOR 18S8. XIX 



accordingly tliouglit it expedient to call attention again to the rule which sets forth that: "Any 

 member failing to attend throe years in succession, without presenting a paper, or assigning reasons 

 in writing satisfactory to the Society, shall be considered to have resigned." Last year there were 

 forty-thi-ee fellows in actual attendance, that is, exclusive of those who, although not present, sent 

 papers. There were likewise twenty delegates from affiliated societies, and eighteen reports from 

 them have been printed in our Proceedings. At this early stage, the attendance at our jM-ese'vt 

 annual meeting is not yet complete, but bids fair to equal or exceed tiiat of previous years, both in 

 the number of fellows and of delegates from associated societies. 



The report of the Council, read to-day, calls our attention to the rapidly accumulating stores of 

 exchange books, and other publications, that are being daily brought by the mails from those literary 

 and scientific societies throughout the world with which we ai-e in correspondence. These treasures 

 ai-e already of sufficient extent to form the nucleus of a reference library, but thei'e is as yet no suit- 

 able house accommodation for them, nor central premises where the Society's executive work can be 

 conveniently cari-ied on. The supply of this want cannot be longer deferred. The matter might bo 

 considered one of detail for the Council, but it is necessary to bear in mind that the Council require 

 something more than a mere formal approval of their report, where the action necessary to carry it 

 out involves a permanent expenditure of funds not as yet placed at their disposal. It is hoped that, 

 before the adjournment of this annual meeting, an-angements will have been made to secure the requi- 

 site accommodation, and to have a catalogue of the Society's library prepared and printed. Members 

 will recollect that one part of our work, as originally outlined, was the formation, in the literary 

 Sections, of a reading committee, whose dutj' it would be to report upon the publications of the year. 



The next point in the Council's report is not onl}' of scientific interest, but of practical impoi'- 

 tance to us as a commercial and travelling people. Regret is expressed that the Government has 

 not yet found itself in a position to recommend to Parliament a grant for the establishment of 

 a regular sj'Stem of observations of tides and currents in the waters of the Dominion. Members will 

 recollect that concerted action was taken by the iSociety, in conjunction with the British Association 

 for the Advancement of Science, whose annual meeting was held in Montreal in August, 1884. Com- 

 mittees were appointed. Memorials were presented to the Privy Council and the Parliament of 

 Canada, and various means have been subsequently adopted to create an interest in the subject. It is 

 obvious that the information sought would be of substantial value, not to Canada alone, but to everj' 

 shipping community, and is called for in the interests of humanity as well as of commerce, as we arc 

 so fi'equently reminded by recurring wrecks at many points on our shores. The subject is one that 

 will necessarilj- continue to occupy the Society's attention until some pr.-.ctical result has been 

 reached ; it cannot be supposed that a matter of so much importance will be long overlooked by 

 a Government alive to the interests of the whole Dominion. 



The subject of the proposed "scientific federation of the Rmpii'e," was brought before the 

 Council by a copy submitted of a letter addressed by Sir William Dawson to Professor Stokes, 

 Presklent of the Royal Society. It related especially to the aspect of the matter with reference 

 to geological science, as likely to lend itself to such an union more readily than some other depart- 

 ments. The proceedings of the International Congress meeting had suggested serious difficulties 

 in the way of general agi'eement as to geological classification, nomenclature and mapping, but 

 these depended largely on differences of language and of habits of thought, and would not affect 

 an union of geologists of the British Empii-o, and ultimately of all English-speaking countries. 

 Such an union might be undeitaken in the first instance, and with the view, not of obstructing, but of 

 aiding the wider movement. An union of British and English-speaking geologists might overcome the 

 difficulties which appear so formidable as between the diftoi'cnt European nations, and might lay a 

 bi'oad foundation which would ultimately be adoptei by other countries, so far as local diversities and 

 differences of language might permit. The geological union would naturally be followed by similar 

 cooperation in other departments of natural science. The Cîouncil at once appointed a Committee to 



