NATURE 
429 
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1870 
HOUSE ACCOMMODATION FOR LEARNED 
SOCIETIES 
HE movement which originated with the Statistical 
Society about three months ago for bringing under 
the shelter of one roof various learned societies of the 
metropolis, has already made that progress which gives 
the best assurance of ultimate success. 
The “ Learned Societies’ Accommodation Committee” 
is at present constituted by delegates from the under- 
mentioned bodies :—The Anthropological Society; the 
British Archzological Association ; the East India Asso- 
ciation ; the Ethnological Society ; the Institute of Actu- 
aries ; the Iron and Steel Institutes ; the Juridical Society ; 
the Meteorological Society ; the Photographic Society ; 
the Royal Colonial Institute ; the Society of Arts; the 
Social Science Association and Law Amendment Society ; 
the Statistical Society ; and the Victoria Institute. 
Each of these Societies is represented on the Com- 
mittee by one delegate. The President of the Statistical 
Society, Mr. Newmarch, has been chosen chairman, but 
as this Society had already a delegate, the Chairman has 
no vote, otherwise the Society would have two voices at 
the Board, while the others were restricted to one each. 
The Committee reserve to themselves the “power to 
add representatives from other learned Societies.” By 
this resolution the combining societies may be increased, 
and probably will be, as the scheme approaches nearer 
accomplishment. 
One body named in the list above has so large a 
fellowship, and so wide a scope in its objects, that its 
wants are consequently great and peculiar. The Society 
of Arts is likely to need house room in, we believe, a year 
or two. This society, Mr. Le Neve Foster remarks, would 
require “all the room we have at present and something 
more.” When their extensive premises in the Adelphi are 
brought to mind, it is at once felt that Mr. Foster’s society 
stands apart by the magnitude of its essential wants from 
all the others just named. To a certain degree the needs 
of the Society of Arts do not accord with the humbler 
demands of the other societies. The latter may be 
housed in a moderately capacious building, with a common 
meeting room or theatre, capable of accommodating from 
150 to 200 members. Hence, these smaller scientific 
bodies offer a much easier undertaking to organise and 
manage. In London the difficulties of obtaining an 
appropriate site are enormously multiplied by any large 
increase of required frontage. On the other hand, the 
union of the Society of Arts with the other learned bodies 
presents the opportunity of a bolder enterprise. A com- 
prehensive project for lodging all the London societies 
lacking house-room in one mansion is, doubtless, an 
attractive idea to many minds. Thus, it would appear at 
first sight, that, under these circumstances, two courses 
emerge : a moderate plan, with proximate execution, for 
the smaller societies ; a grander scheme, with, in all pro- 
bability, indefinitely remote accomplishment. 
The Committee have avoided, by the unanimous reso- 
lutions of the 1st July, any conflict between these views. 
They have resolved in effect : 
VOL. IT: 
1, That convenient and permanent accommodation 
should be provided in a distinct building for societies that 
do not require extensive museums and libraries. 
2. That the Committee express their earnest desire 
to co-operate with societies requiring larger accommo- 
dation for libraries and museums, either by “a combined 
application to Government for a site or building, or by 
joint action for the purchase of a convenient site.” 
The Committee think that if the wider co-operation 
spoken of in the second resolution should be successful, 
the plan for the smaller societies “may be either treated 
as a separate block in an associated group of buildings, 
or as a constituent part of one large building.” 
The Committee have taken the necessary step of giving 
instructions for the preparation by a competent architect 
of sketch plans and the elevation of a building adapted 
to the requirements of the smaller societies. These plans, 
it is understood, will be laid before the Committee when 
it re-assembles in October. Further, the Committee 
determined that the first subject for consideration at their 
next meeting “be the appointment of one or more of its 
members to represent its view and wishes to The Aid to 
Science Commission.” 
If, eventually, only the smaller scheme be adopted, it is 
thought the cost of the whole building and the purchase 
of the site could be compassed by an outlay which would 
offer no pecuniary impediment. In the absence, however, 
of working plans any stated sum can only be regarded as 
roughly approximate. The site itself may prove a business 
not so easily dealt with. Position is a matter of such 
precious importance to the utility of the undertaking that 
it is not likely to be undervalued—success or failure very 
much hangs upon the local habitation. 
The proceedings of the committee seem to have been 
thus far, prompt and business-like. We have no doubt, 
therefore, that their efforts to economise the resources, and 
thereby augment the utility of the scientific societies of the 
metropolis, will speedily bear good fruit. 
THE BERLIN WORKING MEN’S CLUB 
OR some years past there has been carried on at 
Berlin a Working Men’s Club (for so it seems best 
to translate Der Berliner Handwerker Verein), estab- 
lished, we are told in its Reports, by working men and 
friends of labour, in order to promote general culture, 
sound technical knowledge, and good manners, among its 
members. ‘This it attempts to do by means of popular 
lectures, classes for serious instruction, gymnastics, a 
library and reading-room well stocked with books and 
journals, concerts and social gatherings, or pleasure parties 
in which the wives and children of members take part. 
In many respects it resembles our own Mechanics’ Insti- 
tutes and Working Men’s Clubs; but there are several 
features deserving special attention. 
Not the least noteworthy point about it is its success, 
The average number of members at any one time is 
about 4,000, of whon? nine-tenths at least are bond fide 
working men; but owing to the migratory habits of the 
German artizans, no less than 10,000 names are placed on 
their books every year. Wei! worthy of attention is the 
essentially democratic nature of the constitution and’ 
management. It is founded on the principle of self-help ; 
Z 
