Section III, ISSI. [ 1 ] Trans. Eoy. Soc. Canada. 



I . — Presidentia I Address. 



By Thomas Macfaklane. 



(Read May 25, 1887.) 



My first duty iu opening this Sixth Meeting of the Mathematical, Physical and Che- 

 mical Section of the Royal Society is to advert to the loss which it has sustained, since it 

 last met, in the death of Herbert A. Baynes, M.A., Ph. D., Professor of Chemistry iu the 

 Eoyal Military College, Kingston, Out., which took place at Pictou, N. S., on September 

 18th, 1886. He was the eldest son of the Eev. James Baynes, D.D., late of Pictou. He 

 was boru iu 1846, aud graduated at Dalhousie College as B.A. in 1869. After having 

 been eugaged as science teacher iu his native province, he went to Europe to continue 

 the scientific studies begun at Dalhousie. He studied at Paris, Leipzig, Berlin and 

 Heidelberg, taking his degree of Ph. D. at the latter university. After an absence of five 

 years, he returned to Nova Scotia, aud was engaged iu organising the scientific depart- 

 ment of the High School, iu lecturing at Dalhousie College, aud iu starting the Techolo- 

 gical Institute, Halifax. In 1880 he became professor at Kingston, where he laboured 

 with enthusiasm aud success. In common with other institutions, this Society has to 

 mourn his early death and the interruption of a most promising career. One of his papers, 

 " On the Analysis of Silk," was read before this Section in 1885, the method recommended 

 in which I acknowledge to have followed with advantage. He had begun in Germany a 

 valuable series of investigations on the properties of the rarer metals, and had hoped to 

 continue them when leisure came. It was not so to be ; but it is possible that our col- 

 league may have, iu his death, experienced promotiou aud extended his knowledge to a 

 degree far transcending that to which he might have attained had be remained among 

 us. Let us indulge iu this faith, cherish his memory, and imitate his good qualities. His, 

 death has occasioned the first vacancy in the membership of this Section, and I may be 

 permitted to express the hope that, iu electing another fellow, you will proceed without 

 undue haste, aud simply with a view to elevate the scientific character of our Section, aud 

 advance the best interests of our Society. 



The constitution of this Eoyal Society of Canada provides that the honorable position 

 of president of Section III shall not be held without corresponding responsibility. It 

 imposes upon me the duty of preparing an address " having reference to the special 

 objects of the Section." Now, the special objects of this Section are nowhere defined iu 

 the regulations or charter, aud we are left to deduce them from the general object of the 

 Society itself Following this clue, I infer that I have to address you on the " encourage- 

 ment of studies and investigations in mathematical, chemical aud physical science." The 

 magnitude of this task is appalling ; but fortunately, the practice of the Section comes in 

 to modify the letter of the constitution. The difiiculty of fulfilling the latter has been 



Sec. iii, 1887. 1. 



