468 Presidentship of Sir Joseph Lister 1895 



through more than one edition and has been translated into 

 several foreign languages. He became F.R.S. in 1868. 



On 30th November, according to the understanding which 

 the Council of the Royal Society adopted a few years before, 

 that the tenure of the Presidentship should not exceed a 

 period of five years, Lord Kelvin resigned his office and Sir 

 Joseph Lister, Foreign Secretary, was chosen as his successor. 

 Thus two changes were brought about in the Club, which 

 were considered at the meeting on December 5th. The 

 Treasurer was then able to announce that the new President 

 was willing to accept the Presidency of the Club, and he 

 was accordingly at once elected by acclamation. The name 

 of Lord Kelvin, as that of a past President, was transferred 

 to the Honorary List. 



Professor Edward Frankland was elected Foreign Secre- 

 tary of the Society in succession to Lord Lister. He 

 had expressed his wish to rejoin the Club, of which he had 

 resigned the membership in 1867. There was a difference 

 of opinion at the meeting as to whether the Foreign Secretary 

 could be immediately admitted under Rule I. or must wait 

 until the next Anniversary Meeting. An equal number of 

 members voted for and against immediate election, and the 

 Chairman (Sir John Dalrymple Hay) gave his casting vote 

 against it. Whereupon notice was given to be circulated 

 among the members that at the next meeting it would be 

 proposed " that Rule I. shall be interpreted to mean that 

 the Officers of the Royal Society are entitled to join the 

 Club at once on expressing their intention to take advantage 

 of the privilege conferred by that Rule." 



At the next meeting (January 16, 1896) the Senior Trea- 

 surer reported that he had consulted one of the members, 

 Alfred B. Kempe, a counsel learned in the law, who was 

 of opinion that the resolution proposed at the previous 

 meeting could not be considered as a suggested change in 

 the rules of the Club, but that any person entitled ex-officio 

 to be a member of the Club must be immediately admitted 

 on the intimation of his wish to join. Professor Frankland 

 was consequently with unanimity admitted as a Member. 



