b02 Anniversary Meeting. 



the year is the distinguished mineralogist and geologist, M. Daubree. 

 After leaving the Ecole Poly technique in 1832, he was sent on a 

 mission to investigate the modes of occurrence of tin-ore in Cornwall 

 and on the Continent. His reports showed such ability that he was 

 appointed Professor of Mineralogy and Geology at Strasburg, at the 

 age of 25; afterwards (1861-2)' he became Professor of Geology at 

 the Musee d'Histoire Naturelle at Paris, and at the same time Pro- 

 fessor of Mineralogy at the Ecole des Mines ; in the same year he 

 succeeded to the Chair at the Institut vacated by M. Cordier. From 

 1872 to 1884, when the rules of the Service made retirement by 

 reason of age compulsory, he acted as Director of the Ecole des 

 Mines. M. Daubree was the leader in France in experiments for the 

 synthetic reproduction of minerals and rocks, and his laboratory 

 furnace was the first to yield crystals of oxide of tin having the 

 lustre, colour, and hardness of the mineral cassiterite; his memoir 

 on the zeolites and other minerals, produced since Roman times 

 through the action of the hot springs of Plombieres on the bricks 

 arid concrete, has been of general interest both to mineralogists and 

 geologists. Other important experiments led him to infer that 

 circulating water, rather than heat or vapours, has been the essential 

 agent in all phenomena of rock transformation. M. Daubree gave 

 much attention to the description and classification of meteorites, 

 and made numerous experiments relative to the reproduction of 

 material having similar characters. 



Tiie Council was much occupied during the earlier part of the 

 session with the consideration of the proposed " Standing Orders " 

 relating to the conduct of the meetings, and to the Publications of 

 the Society a subject which has engaged the anxious attention of 

 previous Councils. In framing these Standing Orders two principal 

 objects were kept in view. Firstly, to increase the interest of the 

 meetings by giving greater freedom in the conduct of them, and 

 by enlarging the opportunities for discussion ; and secondly, to 

 obtain a more secure, and, at the same time, more rapid judgment 

 as to the value of communications made to the Society ; so that, 

 while the high standard of the 'Philosophical Transactions' is 

 retained, or even raised, greater rapidity in the publication of these 

 and of the ' Proceedings ' may be attained. To secure these latter 

 objects, the Council has called to its aid, in the form of Sectional 

 Committees, a number of Fellows much greater than that of the 

 Council itself, to whom will be entrusted the task of reviewing the 

 communications to the Society, and of making to the Council such 

 recommendations with respect to them as may seem desirable. It is 

 further probable that by using the special knowledge of the several 

 Sectional Committees in the detailed consideration of special questions, 

 the Council will have more time at its disposal than it has at present 



