Royal Society. 219 



thrusts caused by igneous eruptions. Elevation by thermal expansion 

 is only due to volcanos, in the same sense that the rise of the mercury 

 in a thermometer, when placed on a hot lava-stream, is due to them. 

 Another probable cause of earthquakes is the settling of parts of the 

 earth's crust from the long- continued action of gravitation. As in 

 a house vi'ith. a bad foundation, the walls continue to settle and to 

 crack, long after the building has been finished, which crackings 

 often startle the inmates by their sudden vibration and noise, so we 

 may suppose that certain parts of the earth's surface may have a had 

 foundation, either from cavities caused by diminution of temperature, 

 or by the elevation of land in neighbouring districts, or from the 

 yielding or compressible nature of the substratum. In such a case 

 the surface-beds will slowly and imperceptibly subside, till from the 

 increasing pressure they suddenly give way at some weak point, and 

 this fracture causes an earthquake. Such a process of settling is no 

 doubt one of the causes of those faults which are so common in all 

 rocks, even when far removed from volcanic agencies. 



[We will resume next month the consideration of some other 

 points contained in this important and valuable work.] 



XXXIV. Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



ROYAL SOCIETY. 



[Continued from p. 141.] 



Anniversary Meeting, November 30, 1847. 



I'^HE Marquis of Northampton in the Chair. 

 . The President delivered his Address to the Meeting, of which 

 the following are extracts : — 



Gentlemen, 



Since our last Anniversary, your Council have been much occupied 

 with anxious deliberation on many subjects of great importance to 

 our Society : among these, the one that chiefly interests science is 

 perhaps the question, how we may most completely secure the proofs 

 of priority in the communication of scientific discovery. For this 

 purpose we have framed rules which I hope may be found sufficient 

 for the attainment of our object. 



During the last year, an important alteration has been made in 

 our Statutes with reference to the election of new Fellows, as you 

 must be well aware. This change was made with the approbation 

 of a large majority of your Council. As I was one of those who 

 entertained considuraljle doubts of its prudence and expediency, I 

 cannot claim any jjraise if it prove advantageous to the Society, nor 

 must I be considered responsil)le in case of its failure. Having been 

 adopted, however, it appears to me that it ought not hastily to be 

 either rescinded or modified ; that it ought to have a fair trial, for 

 the experience of many years can alone decide whether it be inju- 

 rious or beneficial. 



Many of you. Gentlemen, must be aware that a much more strifi- 



