272 RECORD OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY 



of the Secretary of State for India, ' for ensuring the continued efficiency of the 

 Madras and Bombay Observatories, 1 but which had not been regarded as a 

 Committee of the Royal Society. The existing Committee discusses the 

 reports and schemes of work of the Imperial Observatories in India, and 

 advises the Secretary of State upon them and generally with regard to the 

 organization of Astronomical and Meteorological Observations in that empire. 

 Its functions, however, are not in terms limited to the consideration of Indian 

 questions. 



Scientific Relief Committee, appointed for the purpose of administering 

 privately the Scientific Relief Fund which has been formed with the object of 

 aiding such scientific men, or their families, as may through misfortune have 

 become in need of pecuniary assistance. The Committee consists of ten Fellows 

 each serving for five years and two retiring annually. Each application for a 

 grant from this Fund must come from the President of one of certain specified 

 scientific societies and may be made in regard to any deserving man of science, 

 whether connected with the Royal Society or not. A short sketch of the 

 history of the Fund is given at p. 183, and the regulations in force for the 

 administration of the Fund will be found in the Year-Book. 



Seismology Committee. This Committee was appointed in July 1902 to 

 consider and advise on the question, referred to the Council by H.M. Govern- 

 ment, of the participation of Great Britain in an International Organization 

 of Seismological Observations. It has since been continued for the purpose of 

 taking general cognizance of this department of science and promoting the co- 

 ordination of the work of the various agencies concerned in it. 



Soiree Committee appointed for the purpose of arranging the invitations to 

 the soirees and dinners of the Society and deciding upon the exhibits to be 

 shown at the soirees. 



Solar Research Committee, appointed in December 1904 as a Standing 

 Committee in response to an invitation from an International Solar Conference 

 held at St. Louis, U.S., in that year, advises the Council on questions arising 

 from time to time in connexion with the triennial meetings and the work of 

 the International Union for Solar Research, such as the establishment and 

 equipment of stations for solar observations in various parts of the world, and 

 the co-ordination of their work. 



Sorby Research Fund Committee, appointed to administer an endowment left 

 by Henry Clifton Sorby for the promotion of original scientific research. The 

 composition of the Committee and other particulars connected with the Fund 

 are given at p. 184. 



Tropical Diseases Committee. This Committee dates its origin from the 

 formation of the Tsetse Fly Committee in 1896. It was formed at the request 

 of the Colonial Office as a result of the consideration by the Royal Society of 

 a report of Major Bruce on the Tsetse fly disease in Zululand to the Governor 

 of Natal and Zululand in December 1895 and forwarded to the Royal Society. 



