OVERSEAS MEETINGS 121 



it would be possible to offer facilities, the Council 

 instituted an inquiry of all members on the books, 

 and the replies ' were such as to remove all doubts 

 as to the representative character ' of the party 

 which would attend the meeting in Montreal. As 

 for new members, it was found necessary that the 

 Council should scrutinise applications for member- 

 ship made in England during the year preceding the 

 meeting. The number of members who made the 

 journey overseas was 910. The success of the meeting 

 was assured in advance, and at a later date Playfair 

 (presidential address, 1885) went so far as to assert 

 that it ' even marked a distinct epoch in the history 

 of civilisation.' 



It is unnecessary here to detail all the special 

 arrangements for the meeting, but they set a stan- 

 dard for future meetings overseas. The Dominion 

 Government devoted a grant of $20,000 toward the 

 travelling expenses of visiting members, while both 

 the Government and the Civic Council of Montreal 

 financially supported the Local Executive Committee. 

 The transatlantic shipping companies offered reduc- 

 tions in fares ; the Canadian Pacific and other railway 

 companies offered free passes or low rates. The 

 Canadian Pacific Company, in particular, provided 

 for an excursion of a selected body of members from 

 Montreal to the then railhead at Laggan in the Rocky 

 Mountains, and back, in the course of which the party 

 was welcomed at a succession of new-born townships 

 of the west, one of which, Winnipeg, itself was subse- 

 quently (in 1909) to receive the Association. Apart 

 from this excursion, other members had ample 

 opportunity for travelling in eastern Canada, visiting 

 points of special scientific interest. The scientific 



