43 2 Presidentship of William Spottiswoode 188.1 



The subscription for the ensuing year was fixed at L IDS. 

 There had been twelve dinners during the year, attended 

 altogether by 153 persons, of whom 130 were members and 

 23 visitors. 



The Earl of Rosse and Sir Joseph Hooker sent in their 

 resignation of membership, and General Lefroy going 

 abroad was again made a Supernumerary member. There 

 were thus three vacancies, which were filled by the election 

 of Augustus George Vernon Harcourt, John Hall Gladstone, 

 and the Right Honourable W. H. Smith. 



It was resolved that there should be again twelve dinners 

 in the ensuing year, one in each of the months of November, 

 December, April and May, and two in January, February, 

 March and June, the Anniversary being fixed for the second 

 meeting in the last-named month. 



Mr. Vernon Harcourt, one of the newly elected members, 

 after a long and active career as a chemical investigator and 

 teacher at Oxford, has retired to enjoy his well-earned rest 

 in the Isle of Wight. He became a Fellow of the Royal 

 Society in 1868 and has been a staunch supporter of the 

 Club. 



Dr. J. H. Gladstone was for many years an able and active 

 representative of chemical science in the Royal Society, 

 which he had joined as far back as 1853. 



William Henry Smith, head of the great news-agency in 

 London, whose name is familiar at almost every railway 

 station in this country, was not only a remarkably able man 

 of business whereby he became wealthy, but he gained a 

 prominent place among the statesmen of the country. As 

 member for Westminister and afterwards for the Strand 

 he was returned again and again to Parliament. He was 

 universally respected, even by those most strongly opposed 

 to his conservative politics. In 1886 he became first Lord 

 of the Treasury and leader of the House of Commons in 

 Lord Salisbury's government. He died while still holding 

 that high office, and in recognition of his services to the 

 country his widow was raised to the peerage as Viscountess 

 Hambleden. 



