Royal Institution, Edinburgh. 



The Members are all aware that owing to rebuilding operations 

 at No. 5 St Andrew Square, the Society's Headquarters have 

 been temporarily changed to 12 York Buildings. It is understood 

 that the new premises at 5 St Andrew Square will be ready for 

 occupation at Whitsunday, and the Society will doubtless, if 

 desired, find accommodation there as before. There has, 

 however, been a movement going on for some time amongst the 

 various Scientific Societies in Edinburgh, with the view of 

 obtaining central premises for their joint accommodation. This 

 movement, which at one time was found unworkable, owing to 

 the expense invoKed, has been revived in connection with the 

 Report which was issued by the Departmental Committee to 

 investigate into the administration of the funds at the disposal of 

 the Board of Manufactures. This Committee recommended that, 

 amongst other things, new Art Schools should be built in Edin- 

 burgh, which if carried out would result in all the rooms in the 

 Royal Institution being vacated, with the exception of those at 

 present occupied by the Royal Society. The Royal Society 

 therefore convened a meeting of the various Scottish Scientific 

 Societies having their Headquarters in Edinburgh, and laid 

 before them a scheme, which may be briefly outlined as follows : — 

 They suggest that the Royal Society should retain the rooms at 

 present occupied by them ; that the Royal Scottish Geographical 

 Society and the Scottish Meteorological Society, which both have 

 a permanent stafi^ of officials, should also have permanent rooms 

 for their exclusive use ; that the other Scientific Societies should 

 have the joint use of rooms for their Council and Committee 

 meetings; that a large hall, accommodating 700 to 800, should 

 be at the disposal of all the Societies for their large meetings ; 

 that a reading-room containing the current literature of all the 

 Scientific Societies, and publications received by them, should be 

 available for the Members of these Societies ; and that the 

 libraries of all the Societies should be accommodated in one 

 large library, to which all the Members of these Societies should 

 have free access. In this wa}- the whole of the Royal Institution 

 building would be used exclusively by the various Societies, who 

 should only be asked to bear the expense of the internal upkeep 

 and management, the Government maintaining the fabric of the 

 building. The Secretary for Scotland was communicated with, 

 and agreed to receive a deputation from the Societies, which 

 waited upon him and explained the scheme to him on 19th 

 January last, and the matter is now under his consideration. 

 The Honorary Secretary and the Secretar}' accompanied the 

 deputation on behalf of this Society. 



Assuming that the scheme can be successfully carried out, it 

 will not be known exactly what contribution towards the annual 

 expense would be required from this Society, until it is ascer- 



