Dinner Hour Changed 69 



other distinctions, and was created K.P. in 1890, but died, to the 

 great regret of all who knew him, at Birr Castle on Aug. 3oth, 1908. 



On November 25th, the vacancy caused by the death of 

 Sir C. Wheatstone was filled by the election of Professor Abel. 



SIR FREDERICK AUGUSTUS ABEL, so well known for his investiga- 

 tions of explosives, was the son of a music master of German descent, 

 bom at Woolwich on July i7th, 1827. One of Hofmann's original 

 students, he became chemist to the War Department, and was for 

 many years the chief official authority on explosives, for arms and 

 ammunition were completely transformed during his time ; his 

 investigations on gun-cotton, smokeless powder, cordite, the dangers 

 of minute dust in ' fiery ' mines, and his researches with Sir Andrew 

 Noble on the chemical changes on firing explosives being all highly 

 valuable. He was elected F.R.S. in 1860, and received a Royal 

 Medal in 1887, with other honours, was a D.C.L. of Oxford and 

 LL.D. of Cambridge, President of the British Association in 1890, 

 was given a C.B. in 1877, knighted in 1883, created K.C.B. in 1891, 

 baronet in 1893, and G.C.V.O. in 1901. Besides being an excellent 

 musician, he was the first secretary to the Imperial Institute, and 

 died at Whitehall Court on Sept. 6th, 1902. 



On December i6th, Mr. Ball asked for the opinion of the 

 members present in regard to the expediency of concluding 

 the anniversary dinner of the Royal Society by a soiree at 

 its Rooms, as had been done after taking possession of the 

 new apartments at Burlington House. Dr. Sclater men- 

 tioned the advantage of publishing in the daily papers 

 reports of the weekly proceedings of the Royal Society and 

 the President's annual address (as was done by the Geo- 

 graphical), and Mr. Siemens said the system adopted by 

 some societies of printing the discussions on papers was 

 advantageous, because these often contained matter not 

 less interesting than the papers. Conversation ensued on 

 the subjects, but no resolutions were adopted. 



1876. At the Anniversary Meeting on April 24th, Mr. 

 F. Galton was elected Treasurer, and a motion, of which 

 notice had been given, for changing the hour of dinner 

 from 6.0 to 6.30 on ordinary days was carried, but not that 

 for fixing it at 7.0 on anniversaries. 



A table of yearly attendances from 1866 to 1875 (anni- 

 versaries), prepared by the retiring Treasurer (General 



