CHAPTER XIII 



PRESIDENTSHIPS OF WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE, THOMAS 

 HENRY HUXLEY AND SIR GEORGE GABRIEL STOKES, 



1878-1890 



WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE, who, as already stated (p. 363), 

 was a visitor to the Club for the first time in 1852, rose 

 rapidly after that time in scientific reputation. Mathe- 

 matician, physicist and Oriental scholar, he was also still 

 further linked with literature by being appointed Queen's 

 Printer, succeeding his father as head of the important 

 printing house of Eyre and Spottiswoode. When at 

 Oxford he had been lecturer on mathematics, and he sub- 

 sequently devoted much attention to the polarization of 

 light, electrical discharge and other physical subjects, 

 communicating many papers to the Philosophical Trans- 

 actions and other journals. He took a zealous part in the 

 work of the Royal Society. For nine years from 1870 to 

 1878 he was Treasurer, and this responsible office he ex- 

 changed in the latter year for that of President. It was 

 while holding his Presidentship that to the great regret of 

 the Society and of the scientific world in general he died 

 unexpectedly on June 27, 1883. 



1879. The Anniversary Meeting of the year 1879 was 

 held on June 26th when there were nineteen members 

 present and the Marquess of Salisbury presided. The Trea- 

 surers reported that the expenses for the past year amounted 

 to 90 195. iod., leaving a balance of 46 os. 6d. in hand. The 

 contribution for the ensuing year was fixed at two guineas. 



