1895.] The Trusts of the Royal Society. 205 



was adjudicated for four years. Indeed between 1818 and 1832 the 

 only recipient was M. Fresnel. As a consequence the invested funds 

 have increased to 2330, but the interest is now only 2 per cent., and 

 will in 1903 be only 2 per cent. A bonus on the conversion of the 

 Stock, including an additional quarter's interest, and some returned 

 income tax, either have been, or immediately will be, added to capital. 

 The annual income is at present about 64, and the sum of money 

 that accompanies the medal about 68. In adjudicating this and 

 other medals the following procedure is adopted. At a specified 

 meeting of the Council members are invited to suggest a name or 

 names thought worthy of consideration. At a subsequent meeting, 

 held before the midsummer recess, names are formally proposed and 

 carefully prepared statements of the claims on which the proposals 

 are based are circulated among the members of the Council. At a 

 Council meeting in October these claims are discussed, and finally, 

 at a meeting in November, the medals are adjudged. 



JS"o. 4. BAKERIAN AND COPLEY MEDAL FUND. 



There has for many years been only one amalgamated fund for 

 these two objects. It now consists of 403 9s. Sd. New 2f per cent. 

 Consols. The Bakerian Lecture originated in 1775, through a 

 bequest of Mr. Henry Baker, F.R.S., of 100, for an oration or 

 discourse, to be spoken or read yearly by some one of the Fellows of 

 the Society, on such part of natural history or experimental philosophy, 

 at such time and in such manner as the President and Council of the 

 Society for the time being shall please to order and appoint. In 

 case no lecture be given, there is a pain of forfeiture attached to the 

 bequest. The payment to the lecturer has for many years been a 

 fixed sum of 4. 



The Copley Medal, which has long been regarded as the highest 

 scientific distinction that the Royal Society can bestow, originated in 

 a legacy of 100 from Sir Godfrey Copley, Bart., F.R.S., received 

 in 1709. The testator directed that this sum should be laid out in 

 experiments or otherwise for the benefit of the Society, as they shall 

 direct and appoint. For many years the interest of the fund was 

 paid to Dr. Desaguliers, Curator to the Society, for various experi- 

 ments made before them, but in 1736 Martin Folkes, who subse- 

 quently became President of the Society, proposed to render Sir 

 Godfrey Copley's donation more beneficial than at that time it was. 

 His suggestion was that instead of the annual experiment, "a medal 

 or other honorary prize should be bestowed on the person whose 

 experiment should be best approved, by which means he apprehended 

 a laudable emulation might be excited among men of genius to try 

 their invention, who in all probability may never be moved for the 



