260 A HISTORY OF 



Dr. Litton spoke as to the Botanic Garden, the 

 lectures, &c. ; and Captain Portlock, who had been 

 connected with the Geological Survey of Ireland, 

 gave his views as to the museum. 



Each witness gave general evidence on the special 

 points which the committee tried to elucidate, and 

 much of it is of extreme interest. Finally a report 

 was agreed to, which was ordered to be printed on the 

 1 4th July 1836. The following resolutions were 

 also come to : 



1. That this committee is not in a situation to 

 pronounce any opinion upon the legal question, how 

 far the property of the Royal Dublin Society, partly 



acquired by former parliamentary grants, and partly 

 out of the funds arising from private subscriptions, 

 be of the nature of public property, but they are of 

 opinion that it is expedient that, in reference to future 

 parliamentary grants, it should be fully understood 

 that the members composing that Society are to be con- 

 sidered as trustees, administering a public fund, and 

 not as entitled to an absolute right of proprietorship 

 in the property acquired by means of such parlia- 

 mentary grants ; and, in reference to the existing pro- 

 perty, that a clear and distinct guarantee should be given 

 by the Society that the public should be entitled to the 

 full and entire use of that property as at present enjoyed. 



2. That it is expedient that the admission of all 

 respectable individuals to a participation in the advan- 

 tages arising from the parliamentary grant to the 

 Royal Dublin Society is most desirable, and in order 

 to guard against the capricious exercise of the power of 

 rejection, it is advisable that its by-laws should be 

 reconsidered, and " that hereafter no individual be 

 excluded, notwithstanding one-third of the members 

 present may have voted for his rejection unless at least 



