approbation, which has been expressed by the Members, of the 

 selection which the Council made of this as their first great publi- 

 cation, has induced them to persist in applying nearly all the means 

 at their command towards the completion of the Inorganic part, 

 now finished, before undertaking other works which have been in 

 contemplation. 



" In order to meet the wishes of those who may be anxious to 

 join the Society, with the view of possessing GMELIN'S work, the 

 Council have arranged that the sixth volume may be substituted, 

 when desired, for the volume of ' Chemical Reports and Memoirs,' 

 which is out of print, as one of the books for the Subscription of 

 1848, by which means the six volumes of the Inorganic part of the 

 ' Handbook,' together with the ' Life of Cavendish,' may be ob- 

 tained for three years' subscription, namely, 1848, 1849 and 1850. 

 It has been arranged also that gentlemen commencing to subscribe 

 for 1851, may have the option of taking the 'Life of Cavendish,' 

 instead of the sixth volume of GMELIN'S ' Chemistry,' as the book 

 which is given in addition to the first volume of LEHMANN'S 

 * Animal Chemistry,' for that year. 



" In the last Annual Report allusion is made to a desire which 

 had been expressed by several Members of the Society that a 

 Translation of BISCHOF'S ' Elements of Chemical and Physical 

 Geology ' should be undertaken by the Council at as early a period 

 as possible. The attention of the Council had previously been 

 directed to this work, but, notwithstanding the high reputation it 

 had acquired among scientific men, and the general interest of the 

 subject, it was thought to be too voluminous to admit of its being- 

 undertaken while other extensive works were in hand. An arrange- 

 ment has subsequently been made with the author which has re- 

 moved the difficulty the Council had previously felt, and it is now 

 decided that PROFESSOR BISCHOF shall rewrite the work for the 

 Society in a more condensed form, and at the same time introduce 

 such new facts and views as he may have acquired from recent ob- 

 servations. The preparation of this work is now in progress, and 

 the first volume will be supplied to the Members in the course of 

 the present year. 



"The Organic part of GMELIN'S Hand -book of Chemistry' is 

 also being prepared for publication." 



