Scientific Societies and the Government 63 



spectra. He received honorary degrees from Oxford, Cambridge, 

 Edinburgh, St. Andrews, and Dublin, with many foreign distinctions, 

 was President of the British Association in 1891 and of the Royal 

 Society from 1900 to 1906. Created K.C.B. in 1897, he received 

 the O.M. in 1902. His death occurred in London on May I2th, 1910. 



In a conversation on June 3oth which Dr. Miller started 

 by an enquiry about the results of the Government Com- 

 mission on Scientific Aids, Mr. Grove expressed a strong 

 objection to Government support for anything in the shape 

 of Academies, quoting as an example the French Academy, 

 which tended to foster antiquated notions and to repress 

 the free expression of opinions. Sir John Lubbock called 

 attention to inconveniences in communicating with the 

 Government, which arose from too frequent changes in the 

 Council of the Royal Society. Professor Huxley said that 

 he always objected to the Royal Society giving advice to 

 the Government, and thought it would be better for the latter 

 to request the Royal Society, when its advice was needed, 

 to name committees of experts to consider the question. 

 He also expressed the opinion that the tenure of the Pre- 

 sidency in the Royal Society should be shorter than at 

 present, to which Mr. Grove replied that the Council in 

 1849 had passed a minute recommending a period of four 

 years. Sir John Lubbock advised the formation of a 

 permanent Board to watch over educational movements 

 or questions, and Dr. Carpenter thought that Mr. Foster's 

 Act contemplated some such Board or Council. With regard 

 to its composition, Sir J. Lubbock suggested the inclusion 

 of members representing the Royal Society and the British 

 Association, and Dr. Williamson thought that each Uni- 

 versity might appoint a member, but that, in regard to 

 research, the Government Grant Committee was sufficient. 



On Nov. 24th, Mr. Gassiot called the attention of the 

 Club to a paragraph in the Minutes of June 3oth (which 

 he had not done when it was read on Oct. 27th l because a 

 stranger was present) about limiting the tenure of the 

 Presidency of the Royal Society. He considered the course 



1 The day of the month has been omitted from the Minutes. 



