6 PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. 
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 
The British Association was instituted at York in 1831, 
at a meeting held at the suggestion of Sir David Brewster, 
in the Hall of the Philosophical Society of Yorkshire, with 
the title of “The British Association for the Advancement 
of Science,” and its objects were “ to give a stronger im- 
pulse and a more systematic direction to scientific inquiry ; 
to promote the intercourse of those who cultivate science in 
different parts of the British Empire with one another, and 
with foreign philosophers; and to obtain a greater degree 
of national attention to the objects of science and a remoyal of 
any disadvantages of a public nature which impede its pro- 
gress.” It has met regularly every year in some town of 
the United Kingdom, except that in 1884 it met at Montreal, 
in Canada, and in August last it again met in Canada, 
this time in Toronto. The American Association held its 
Session at about the same time at Detroit, so that the mem- 
bers of both Associations might have opportunities to 
meet. 
The Mayor and Corporation of San Francisco invited the 
members of the British, the American, and Australasian 
Associations to meet together at San Francisco, after the 
British and American Association meetings; the Austral- 
asian Association was, unfortunately, unable to accept the 
very cordial invitation to join in this first attempt at an 
International gathering. 
The Mayor’s letter of mvitation contains the followimg 
passages :— 
‘Tt is my sincere hope that San Francisco may have the 
good and rare fortune to receive the visit of all three of 
these distinguished bodies. 
“Tts citizens will feel honoured in extending a generous 
welcome to men eminent in the cause of truth and repre- 
senting the three great branches of the Anglo-Saxon race.” 
The British Association meets for a week or ten days 
once a year. Its work is opened by an address from the 
