HY J. W. SUTTON. XXV. 



" Gustave Zede" to the present latest, the " Narval." This boat is 

 propelled by oil engines for surface work, and electric accumul- 

 ators for submerged propelling, which are sufficient to propel 

 her, at surface, 250 miles at 8 knots per hour ; her displacement 

 being 160 tons. The "Argonaut" and "Holland" of the 

 Americans are both said to have done marvellous work on their 

 trials, but at the present their scope does not appear to be 

 beyond a usefulness for harbour defence ; however they seen; to 

 bid fair to compete with the " Nautilus " of extravagant fiction. 

 When Jules Verne wrote his description of this boat, every one 

 was taken with the strangeness of the idea. The author had 

 merely collected together a number of old and new theories and 

 clothed his conception in seemingly practical garb. Swift's 

 account of the Island of Laputa, was based upon a curiously 

 distorted theory of magnetism, sufficiently possible to make it 

 interesting; and Duller Lytton's " Coming Race," in so far as 

 Vril is concerned, turns upon a little more than the successful 

 storage of electricity of high potential. 



And now in conclusion let me add just a few words of tribute 

 to our parent, the Royal Society of London, which has for the 

 past 250 years, been an eye witness of the birth, rise, and pro- 

 gress of science ; one which has at all times embraced within its 

 membership the brightest scientific intellects of all nations, and 

 one which recognises that " honour and fame from no condition 

 rise. " A society from which all other societies, special in their 

 character have sprung, and it may well say unto itself, in the 

 words of Tennyson, " For men may come, and men my go, but 

 I go on for ever." 



A vote of thanks to the retiring President for his address 

 was moved by the Hon. A. Norton, M.L.C., seconded by the 

 Hon. Dr. Taylor, M.L.C., and carried. 



The Election of Officers for the year 1900, then took place 

 with the following result: — Vi-csiilmit, John Thomson. M.B. ; 

 yiri'-FitNident, W. J. Byram ; Htm. 'iifiisnrcr, Hon. A. Norton, 

 M.L.C. ; Hnn. Scnrtdnj, J. F. Bailey ; Hnu. fjlmiricoi, R. 

 Illidge; Mnnhns of CoKiu-il, F. M. Bailey, F.L.S., A. G. 

 Jackson, C. J. Pound, F.R.M.S., J. Shirley, B.Sc, and J. W. 

 Sutton ; Hou. Auditor, A. J. Turner. 



A vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring officers, after 

 which the proceedings terminated. 



