176 



NA TURE 



[Junp: 25, 1896 



with seats in front of the principal floor-space of the hall, 

 while the chair of the Vice-ChanceUor, with chairs for 

 officials, was placed in the centre of a semicircle of pro- 

 fessional stalls occupied by the members of the Senatus 

 Academicus, distinguished strangers, and represent- 

 atives of the Corporation present. For the delegates 

 who were to receive degrees, chairs were set in front of 

 the circle occupied by the Senate. The rest of the hall 

 and the galleries were occupied by students and spec- 

 tators. 



Punctually at 10 a.m. the Senatus with Lord Kelvin at 

 its head, marched in procession up the hall, while the 

 whole assemblage rose and cheered him to the echo. In 

 the absence of Principal Caird, who unfortunately is not 

 yet sufficiently recovered in health to take part in such 

 a ceremony, the chair was taken by Prof William 

 Gairdner, F.R.S., who, next to Lord Kelvin, is the senior 

 Professor now at Glasgow. After prayer, offered in Latin 

 according to a form which has been long in use at 

 Glasgow, Professor Stewart, Clerk of Senate, read the 

 following letter of congratulation from H.R.H. the Prince 

 of Wales. 



Marlborough House, 



Pall Mall, S.W., 



June 10, 1896. 



Dear Lord Kelvin, — The Prince of Wales desires me to 

 offer you his warmest congratulations upon your having attained 

 the fiftieth year of the tenure of your professorship in the 

 University of Glasgow. 



His Royal Highness is in most cordial sympathy with the 

 eminent representatives of universities, learned societies, and 

 other public bodies in different parts of this Empire and in foreign 

 States who, to do you honour, have assembled in the University 

 which has for a long series of years, eventful through the rapid 

 advance of science and its applications, enjoyed the high prestige 

 derived from your close association with its work, and from the 

 invaluable and brilliant contributions to science resulting from 

 the researches carried on by you during the last half-century 

 within its walls. 



The Prince of Wales remembers with much satisfaction that 

 he had the gratification seventeen years ago to present you with 

 the medal instituted by the Society of Arts as a memorial of the 

 Prince Consort, and awarded to men who have rendered pre- 

 eminent service in promoting arts, manufactures, and science. 



The work which you had at that time accomplished was but 

 an earnest of the important researches to which you have since 

 then devoted yourself so indefatigably, and he cherishes the 

 sincere hope that you may long continue to enjny the happiness 

 derived from the most gratifying evidence that the high value of 

 the services rendered by you through science to mankind is 

 universally recognised and appreciated. 

 I remain, 



Dear Lord Kelvin, 

 Yours truly, 



Francis Knoi.i.ys. 



P..S. — His Royal Highness desires me to repeat what he has 

 already stated to the University aulhorities, how greatly he 

 regrets that long-formed engagements in the South prevent him 

 from having the pleasure of being present on the occasion of this 

 interesting celebration. — F. K. 



Professor Story then called forward the delegates very 

 nearly in the order in which they are given in the fore- 

 going list. These advanced to the dais, and presented the 

 messages with which they were charged to Lord Kelvin ; 

 and after shaking hands with him, retired to their places. 

 Most of the delegates presented elaborate addresses, beau- 

 tifully engrossed, and signed by the authorities of the bodies 

 represented. These were not, however, in general read, 

 though a good many delegates made a few pointed remarks 

 when placing the addresses before Lord Kelvin on the table. 

 The delegates of the Institute of France were the bearers 

 to Lord Kelvin of the .Arago medal, which has only been 

 three times before bestowed on any one. It is interesting 

 to note in this connection that the Freedom of the City 

 of Glasgow was in 1834 conferred on Arago himself " in 

 testimony of admiration of his high talents and eminent 



NO. 1391, VOL 54] 



scientific attainments, and particularly of his successful 

 exertions to extend the boundaries of astronomical 

 science." 



The medal was presented to Lord Kehin by Professor 

 E. Mascart, of the College de Fiance. 



General Ferrero, the Italian Ambassador, attended on 

 behalf of the Royal Institute of Science and Letters of 

 Milan, the Royal Academy of Science, Letters, and .Arts 

 of Modena, and the Italian Society of Science, Rome. 



The presentation of the addresses of the Royal Society, 

 the University of Cambridge, the students of the four 

 Scottish Universities, the students of the University of 

 Glasgow, and the Senatus of the University of Glasgow 

 excited much interest. 



The address of the University of Cambridge, written 

 by the Public Orator, Dr. Sandys, on behalf of the 

 University, was as follows : — 



Baroiii Kelvin 

 Rcgiae Societatis nufcr Praesidi 

 Philosophiae Natiiralis inter Glasgiienses 

 per annos quintjuaginta Professori 

 S. P. D. 

 Universitas Cantahrigicnsis. 

 Du.M tot tantaeque Universitates praeceptori tam illustri 

 annos quinquaginta Professoris in munere feliciter exactos 

 certatim gratulantur, Universitati nostrae imprimis consen- 

 taneum est ob rem tam lactam tamque honorificam suum gaudium 

 confiteri, suam superbiam testificari. Etenim nostra inter 

 nemora (iuvat recordari) quinquagesimo primo abhinc anno 

 studiorum mathematicorum e certamine primo lauream prope 

 primam reportasti, studiorum eorundem in certamine' altero 

 victor renuntiatus. Nostris umbraculis egressus, et alio:; ex aliis 

 honores serie perpetua propter insignia merita adeptus, physi- 

 corum praesertim studiorum provinciam et inventis tuis et 

 exemplo tuo praeclare illustrasti. Tu trans maria magna 

 navigantibussecuritatem novam dedisti, septentrionum regionem 

 accuratius indicasti, vada periculosa etiam in ipso transcursu 

 metiri docuisti ; tu oceani denique Atlantici litus utrumque 

 vinculo novo coniunxisti. Haec et alia inventa egregia dum 

 contemplamur, non sine superbia recordamur plusquam quin- 

 quaginta per annos ipsuni inventorem etiam nostra cum Univer- 

 sitate vinculo artissimo fuisse coniunclum. Alumno igitur 

 nostro insigni, non modo annos quinquaginta Professoris in 

 munere prospeie peractos, sed etiam vitae annum septuagesimum 

 primum feliciter expletum libenter gratulati, etiam in posterum 

 plurimos per annos omnia fausta ex animo exoptamus. Vale. 



' 



Datum Ccintabrigiae 

 jnensis lunii die xi'^ 

 A. S. Mucccxcvi. 







The following address of the Senatus of the University 

 of Glasgow was read by Professor Stewart, D.D. : — 



Mv Lord, — The rejoicings which have been arranged to 

 celebrate the close of your fiftieth session betoken the admiration 

 and affection with which you are regarded by your colleagnes 

 in the Senate, but it is none the less fitting that on this auspicious 

 occasion these feelings should find articulate expression in an 

 address of congratulation. The fifty years during which you 

 have occupied the Chair of Natural Philosophy in this University 

 have to an extent, unparalleled in the history of the world, been 

 marked by brilliant discoveries in every department of physical 

 science, and by the prompt adaptation of many of these dis- 

 coveries to meet the practical needs of mankind. We recognise 

 with admiration that in both these respects you have been 

 a leader of the age in which we live. Your mathematical and 

 experimental genius has unveiled the secrets of nature ; your 

 marvellous gift of utilising such discoveries has ministered in 

 many ways to the happiness and dignity of human life. Your 

 name and your work have been an inspiration to the physicists 

 of the world ; new departments of technical industry have 

 sprung into existence under your hand, and even the unlettered 

 have learned to value the gifts which science bestows. The 

 justice of the tributes which have been paid to you by universities 

 and scientific societies at home and abroad, and by the Govern- 

 ments of this and other lands, we are proud to acknowledge. 

 But only your colleagues in university work are in a position to 



