THE SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES 



Society, as the chief Society, expressed the decided opinion 

 that " It would be impossible for his Society even to 

 contemplate handing over any portion of its work to the 

 Royal Society. The proper jealousy of its younger 

 Fellows not Fellows of the Royal Society would render 

 this impossible even if it were desirable on other grounds, 

 . . . such a course would be entirely subversive of the 

 true interests of the special Society." Then, paraphrasing 

 the words of Lord Sherbrooke in speaking of Imperial 

 and Colonial legislation, he went on to say that '" the 

 prosperity of the whole is best secured by making each 

 part prosperous ; that there is no conflict between the 

 interests of the special Societies and those of the Royal 

 Society, and that the notion of sacrificing, in however 

 small degree, the former to the latter originates in the 

 narrow and selfish view of a part, and not in a compre- 

 hensive view of the whole." 



Another member of Committee, a professor in one of 

 our Universities, took a very decided view of the matter 

 in debate. " I entirely object," he said, " to allowing 

 any other Society to take part in the administrative affairs 

 of the Royal Society, and similarly deprecate any suggestion 

 that the Royal Society should involve itself in the affairs 

 of other Societies." 



In their final Report, the Committee reported to the 

 Council as follows : " The Committee gave much considera- 

 tion to the general question whether or not it is desirable 



that the Royal Society should propose to enter into formal 



50 



