THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 295 



CHAPTER XVIII 



GENERAL HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY, 1878 

 TO THE PRESENT 



{Contributed by Mr. R. J. Moss, Registrar) 



The Act of 1877 and Agreement — The Royal Agri- 

 cultural Society of Ireland and Amalgamation — 

 Accommodation in Leinster House. 



When the Dublin Science and Art Museum Act, 

 1877, received the Royal assent, the old order passed 

 away and a new era in the Society's history opened. 



In March 1877, some months before the Act 

 passed, the terms upon which the Society was willing 

 to assent to the measure were agreed to (see p. 292). 

 The first of those related to the future accommodation 

 of the Society in Leinster House ; it was to be such as 

 in the judgment of the Government would be sufficient 

 for the functions in Science and in Agriculture still re- 

 maining to the Society. The Society was to be free of 

 rent and taxes, and the conditions of occupation were to 

 be the same as those accorded to the learned societies in 

 Burlington House. The sum of ,£10,000 was to be 

 paid to the Society for its proprietary rights in the 

 property to be transferred, and this sum was to be 

 invested with the approval of the Government, and 

 made subject to the trusts of the Society's charters or 

 any alteration of them. The agricultural shows were 

 to be allowed to continue in Kildare street, or a site 

 was to be provided elsewhere by grant or by providing 



