1796 Count Rumford 203 



with the mother-country, he showed such scant sympathy 

 with them that he was put in prison. In the end he came 

 to England, obtained a post in the Colonial Office, and de- 

 voted himself to scientific pursuits with such industry and 

 success that he was elected into the Royal Society in April 

 1779. Next year he was appointed under-secretary for the 

 Colonies and reappeared in his native country as a royalist 

 and lieutenant-colonel in George III.'s American Dragoons. 

 After this interlude in his career he appeared in Bavaria, 

 in the employment of the Elector, under whom he was 

 enabled to institute useful reforms and to confer such 

 benefits on the population that when he left the country, 

 after a residence in it of more than ten years, they raised 

 a monument in his honour, and the Elector made him 

 Count von Rumford. After he returned to England this 

 year he soon began a course of useful activity such as he 

 had shown on the Continent, made practicable suggestions 

 for the improvement of domestic economy, and returned 

 with renewed vigour to scientific research. He had acquired 

 a fortune, and he was generous in the donations which he 

 made towards furthering the cause of science. In this 

 country he founded the Royal Institution, and he gave 

 1000 to the Royal Society for the purpose of instituting 

 a medal to be given every second year as a premium for 

 " the most important discovery or useful improvement in 

 heat or light, preference being always given to such dis- 

 coveries as shall tend most to promote the good of man- 

 kind." 



1796. At the Annual General Meeting on 23rd June 1796, 

 which was attended by eighteen members, the President pre- 

 siding, the Treasurer's financial statement showed that his 

 receipts amounted to 65 53. 4d. and disbursements on 

 tavern bills to 55 35. 6d., leaving in his hands a balance 

 of 10 is. lod. He reported that owing to the increase 

 in the duties levied upon wines it would be necessary 

 to increase the annual subscription of the members of 

 the Club. The sum fixed upon was a guinea and a half. 

 It was further reported that Mr. Edmund Turnor owing 



