1782 Anxieties of War-time 155 



President (Sir John Pringle) and Dr. Solander. These were 

 filled by the election of Welbore Ellis Agar (F.R.S. 1781), 

 and Sir George Shuckburgh, Bart. (F.R.S. 1774). Sir Joseph 

 Banks was continued as President and William Russell was 

 elected Treasurer. There were no vacancies arising from 

 non-attendance. 



The year 1782 was one full of anxiety for Great Britain. 

 Her armies in North America, after six years of conflict, 

 had been generally unsuccessful, the colonists there were in 

 open revolt and had declared their independence of the 

 mother-country. A motion was carried in the House of 

 Commons declaring that all who opposed the termination 

 of the attempt to coerce the colonists into submission were 

 enemies to the King and country. The ministry of Lord 

 North was compelled to resign. That of Lord Rockingham, 

 which replaced it, held office for little more than two months, 

 to be succeeded on the Prime Minister's death by the Cabinet 

 of Lord Shelburne. The country was at war, too, with 

 France and Spain, and France had taken the side of the 

 revolted colonies. There were indeed some gleams of success 

 in the midst of the prevalent gloom. The French fleet 

 under de Grasse had been beaten by Rodney and Hood 

 at Martinique, and the united land and sea forces of France 

 and Spain around Gibraltar had been unable to vanquish 

 the brave Elliot and his valiant garrison. It was time to 

 negotiate for peace, and this was happily accomplished early 

 in the following year. 



It was in the midst of this tumult abroad and at home 

 that the Royal Philosophers pursued their accustomed 

 peaceful pursuits, doubtless not without much earnest con- 

 ference among themselves on the state of the Empire. But 

 they went on with their weekly meetings, observing an un- 

 broken regularity and continuity, as if in a time of profound 

 peace. One of the most important incidents in the history 

 of the Club during this tragic year was the death of its 

 second Treasurer, Daniel Charles Solander. This earnest 

 and loyal officer had been eminently assiduous in looking 

 after the prosperity of the Club. He had been especially 



