204 RECORD OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY 



Tenure of Office. 



Joshua Alwyne Compton, Marquess of North- 



ampton Nov. 30, 1838-Nov. 30, 1848 



h. Jan. 1, 1790 ; d. Jan. 17, 1851. Geologist and Mineralogist. One of the earliest 

 Presidents of the Geological Society ; Pres. Brit. Assoc. 1836 and 1848. 



William Parsons, Earl of Rosse Nov. 30, 1848-Nov. 30, 1854 



//. June 17, 1800 ; d. Oct. 31, 1867. Astronomer. Commenced experiments for 

 improving the reflecting telescope (1827) ; began observations with the 60-foot 

 reflector which he constructed at Parsonstown (1845) ; discoverer of spiral nebulae. 

 Researches on nebulae and other celestial phenomena in ' Philosophical Trans- 

 actions ', 1840, '44, '50, '61, and '68. Chancellor of University of Dublin (1862). 



John, Lord Wrottesley Nov. 30, 1854-Nov. 30, 1858 



b. Aug. 5, 1798 ; d. Oct. 27, 1867. Practical Astronomer, carrying on observations 

 at two small observatories, one at Blackheath, the other at Wrottesley. Gold 

 Medal of the Astronom. Soc. for a catalogue of Stars (1839). Pres. Astronom. 

 Soc. (1841). Pres. Brit. Assoc. (1860). 



Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, Bart Nov. 30, 1858-Nov. 30, 1861 



b. 1783 ; d. Oct. 21, 1862. Physiologist and Surgeon. For thirty years on the Staff 

 of St. George's Hospital. Medical Adviser to three successive Sovereigns. First 

 President of the Medical Council. Author of a work on the Diseases of the Joints, 

 and of numerous papers in the 'Philosophical Transactions', and the ' Transactions 

 of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society'. Copley Medallist (1811). 



Sir Edward Sabine, K.C.B Nov. 30, 1861-Nov. 30, 1871 



b. Oct. 14, 1788; d. June 26, 1883. D.C.L. (Oxon.), LL.D. (Camb.). General 

 (1870). On active service 1812-16. Astronomer with Sir John Ross's Expedition 

 in search of Nortli West Passage (1818). Accompanied Parry's first expedition 

 (1819). Had a large part in establishing the science of terrestrial magnetism. 

 Appointed to conduct pendulum experiments in different latitudes (1819), and 

 Joint Commissioner to determine the difference of longitude between the 

 observatories of Paris and Greenwich (1825). 



Sir George Biddell Airy, K.C.B Nov. 30, 1871-Nov. 30, 1873 



b. June 27, 1801 ; d. Jan. 2, 1892. Senior Wrangler (1823). M.A., LL.D. (Camb.), 

 D.C.L. (Oxon.). Lucasian Professor at Cambridge (1826). Plumian Professor of 

 Astronomy and Director of Cambridge Observatory (1828). Astronomer Royal 

 (1835-81) ; did a great work in the reorganization of Greenwich Observatory. 

 Chairman of the Commission charged with the construction of Standard Weights 

 and Measures (1834). Pres. Brit Assoc. (1851). Organized Expedition for 

 Observing Transit of Venus (1874). 



Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, O.M., G.C.S.I. . Nov. 30, 1873-Nov. 30, 1878 

 b. June 30, 1817 ; d. Dec. 11,1911. M.D., D.C.L., LL.D. Botanist to Sir J. C. Ross's 

 antarctic voyage (' Erebus ' and ' Terror '). Botanist to the Geological Survey. 

 Expedition to India and the Himalayas (1848) ; to Syria (1860). Pres. Brit. 

 Assoc. (1868). Botanical expedition to Morocco (1871) and across America (1877). 

 Director of Royal Gardens at Kew (1865-85). K. C. S. I. (1877). Original member 

 of the Order of Merit. 



