3 o8 A HISTORY OF 



for the continuance, under improved conditions, of 

 the work which the Society is at present carrying on 

 under its existing charters." It was pointed out that 

 "the functions performed by the Society of Arts of 

 London, and the Royal Scottish Society of Arts of 

 Edinburgh, to which the Council of the Academy wish 

 the Royal Dublin Society to be reduced, represent only 

 a small part of the work in which the Royal Dublin 

 Society has been hitherto engaged." 



The draft recited the fact that the Society was also 

 known as the Royal Society of Dublin, and it con- 

 tained a clause empowering the Society to confer the 

 title of Fellow. The Lord Lieutenant expressed his 

 unwillingness to recommend a charter including this 

 recital and provision. The negotiations which followed 

 occupied two years. In January 1886, the Royal 

 Agricultural Society of Ireland decided to " become 

 merged in the Royal Dublin Society." This step 

 necessitated the addition of certain clauses to the draft 

 charter, and it v/as decided at the same time to omit 

 the portions to which the Lord Lieutenant had taken 

 exception. The second supplemental charter in its 

 amended form was granted, and it was enrolled on 

 May the 20th, 1888. 



The second supplemental charter confirms the 

 amalgamation agreement with the Royal Agricultural 

 Society of Ireland and dissolves that body. It directs 

 that the Royal Dublin Society shall continue to be 

 incorporated " for the advancement of agriculture 

 and other branches of industry, and for the advance- 

 ment of Science and Art"; thus leaving the Society 

 an unrestricted field in all branches of its work. 

 Details relating to meetings of the corporation, the 

 honorary officers, the constitution and mode of election 

 of the council and of the committees, are embodied in 



