THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 277 



to be regularly printed in the succeeding volumes of 

 the Proceedings. 



In March 1843, a large silver medal, with certi- 

 ficate, was presented to Mr. James Fagan, for his 

 exertions in establishing a dockyard at Kingstown, and 

 building a new ship, the Duchess of Leinster, as it was 

 so important to Dublin and the country generally to 

 encourage shipbuilding. 



During the cattle show in April 1843, the eminent 

 agriculturist, Mr. Smith of Deanston, lectured on 

 draining land, and on subsoil ploughing, and the com- 

 mittee of agriculture offered premiums for essays on 

 subsoil ploughing, on thorough draining, and on the 

 effects of altitude on vegetation, &c. The first show 

 of farm produce was held in 1844, in connection 

 with the reopening of the agricultural museum, 

 which had been largely improved. 



Albert, the Prince Consort, became a Vice-Patron 

 of the Society in 1845, and showed great interest in 

 the exhibition of stock. 



In the winter of that year, potato disease occupied 

 the attention of the Council, and Professor Davy was 

 authorised to suspend his lectures, and devote all his 

 energies to conducting experiments with a view to 

 the preservation of that crop. A gold medal and 

 ^20 were offered for the best essay on the disease. 



The lectures in provincial towns were by this time 

 well established, and Dr. Kane, Professor Davy, and 

 Mr. Oldham delivered lectures on natural philosophy, 

 chemistry, and geology, in Clonmel, Coleraine, Kil- 

 larney, Galway, and Waterford, Ballinasloe, Newry, 

 Limerick, Armagh, Mallow, Dungannon, &c. ^40 

 were assigned to each town out of the sum voted 

 by Parliament for that service. 



In 1846, some friends of Alexander Nimmo, 



