256 Presidentship of Sir Joseph Banks 1818 



occasion he and some brother officers, thinking the town of 

 Alkmaar quite safe from the enemy, entered it and ordered 

 dinner at an inn. While the meal was in preparation he 

 began to make notes in his journal, but an alarm being 

 given that the French were close upon them he started off, 

 leaving his papers and pocket-book on the table, and was 

 just in time to take his place with his regiment. In the 

 action which followed he was dreadfully wounded. A con- 

 siderable time afterwards being back in Alkmaar he called 

 at the inn, and there had his papers and purse returned 

 to him which, with scrupulous care and honesty, had been 

 preserved. 



Basil Hall, son of Sir James Hall of Dunglass, was a captain 

 in the navy and the author of many volumes of travels 

 and voyages which were popular in their day. He became 

 F.R.S. in 1816. 



At the last dinner of the year Captain Sabine was one 

 of the guests. He was destined to occupy an important 

 place in the history both of the Club and of the Royal 

 Society, of which he was for ten years the distinguished 

 president. 



1818. On June i8th the Anniversary Meeting for 1818 was 

 attended by twenty-three members, with Sir Joseph Banks 

 in the chair. The Treasurer reported that the expenses 

 since the last General Meeting had amounted to 109 133. 6d. 

 and the receipts, including the balance from the previous 

 year, to 119 4s., leaving a balance in hand of fy 6s. iod., 

 to which would doubtless be added the unpaid contributions 

 of six members amounting to 23. In order to provide a 

 fund for the following year it was resolved to levy a con- 

 tribution of 4 from each member, the largest subscription 

 ever called for in the history of the Club up to this time. 



There was one vacancy caused by the death of Dr. Burney, 

 and another was made by Mr. Brande consenting to become 

 an ex-officio member, he having been elected one of the 

 Secretaries of the Royal Society on 3oth November 1816. 

 The two vacancies thus arising were filled by the election 

 of Dr. William George Mat on and Thomas Lister Parker. 



