1871 Mar quess of Salisbury ; Capt. Andrew Noble 403 



attendance at each dinner was 15. The subscription for 

 the ensuing year was fixed to be two guineas. 



Three vacancies were announced. Of these one arose 

 from the election of Mr. Spottiswoode to the Treasurership 

 of the Royal Society and his consequent transference to 

 the ex-officio list ; another was caused by the absence of 

 General Lefroy from this country, he having been appointed 

 Governor of Bermuda, and a third had been left over unfilled 

 from last year. There were eleven candidates, from whom 

 the three elected by vote were Robert Arthur Talbot 

 Gascoigne Cecil, Marquess of Salisbury; Captain Andrew 

 Noble, and Charles William Siemens. 



It was resolved that dinners during the vacation should 

 be provided on Thursday 27th July, 28th September, and 

 iQth October. 



General Sir Edward Sabine was re-elected President, and 

 Captain Galton and Dr. Sibson, Treasurers. 



The Marquess of Salisbury, who filled so conspicuous a 

 place in the political history of the British Empire during 

 the latter half of the nineteenth century, was not only a 

 great statesman, but retained through life a love of science 

 which led him to take note of the successive advances in 

 discovery, and sometimes in the intervals of his public 

 duties even to prosecute practical chemical experimentation 

 in his own laboratory at Hatfield. He was elected into 

 the Royal Society at the beginning of 1869 and served on 

 the Council. When the cares of State allowed him to attend 

 he was in some years by no means an infrequent diner at 

 the Club. 



Captain Andrew Noble, descendant of an ancient family in 

 Dumbartonshire, joined the Royal Artillery and soon began 

 to interest himself in the scientific side of gunnery. As far 

 back as 1858 he was appointed Secretary of the Committee 

 on Rifled Cannon and next year Secretary of the Committee 

 on Plates and Guns. His expert knowledge based on his 

 own practical researches led to his being placed on many 

 Committees on the subject of arms and armaments. His 

 reputation in these matters induced the firm of W. G. 



