REPORT or THE COUNCIL. xliu 



SECTION G. MECHANICAL SCIENCE. 



Presideta.—Chs.vleB B. Vifynoles, President I.C.E., F.R.S., M.Rl.A., F.R.A.S. 



Vice-Presidents.— Sir W. CI. Armstrong, O.B. ; Admiral Sir E. Belcher, Iv.C.B., 

 F.R.G.S. ; Sir William Fairbairn, Bart., LL.D., F.R.S. ; Thomas Ilawksley, 

 V.P.I.C.E. ; Professor W. J. Macquom Eankine, O.E., LL.D., F.R.S. ; 0. W. 



Siemens, D.C.L., F.R.S. ,. ^ ,r a t m t- r^ -n 



Secretaries.— R. Banerman, F.G.S. ; P. Le Neve Foster, M.A. ; J. 1. King, C.E. ; 

 Jas. N. Shoolbred, C.E. 



Report of the Council for the Year 1869-70, presented to the General 

 Committee at Liverpool, on Wednesday, September lAth, 1870. 



The Couucil have received the visual reports from the General Treasurer 

 and'from the Kew Committee. Their reports for the past year will he laid 

 before the General Committee this daj'. 



The Council have to report upon the action they have taken relative to 

 each of the four resolutions referred to them by the General Committee at 

 Exeter. 



The first of these resolutions -svas — 



" That the Council be requested to take into their consideration the ex- 

 isting relations between the Kew Committee and the British Association." 



The Council accordingly appointed a Committee of their own body to ex- 

 amine into these relations. This Committee had before them a special report 

 drawn up by the Kew Committee, and, after due deliberation, they recom- 

 mended T. V T- 



" That the existing relations between the Kew Observatory and the British 

 Association be continued unaltered until the completion, in 1872, of the mag- 

 netic and solar decennial period ; but that after that date ail connexion be- 

 tween them shall cease." 



The Council adopted this recommendation, and now ofi"cr it, as their own, 

 to the General Committee. 



The second resolution referred to the Council was as follows : — 

 " That the full iuiiueuce of the British Association for the Advancement of 

 Science should at once be exerted to obtain the appointment of a Eoyal Com- 

 mission to consider — 



First. The character and value of existing institutions and facilities for 

 scientific investigation, and the amount of time and money devoted 

 to such purposes ; 

 Secondly. What modifications or augmentations of the means and faci- 

 lities that are at present available for the maintenance and exten- 

 sion of science are requisite ; and, 

 Thirdly. In what manner these can be best supplied." 



By a third resolution the Council was " requested to ascertain whether the 

 action of Government in relation to the higher scientific education has been in 

 accordance with the principles of impartiality which were understood to guide 

 them in this matter ; and to consider whether that action has been well cal- 

 culated to utilize and develope the resources of the country for this end, and 

 to favour the free development of the higher scientific education. That the 

 Council be requested to take such measures as may appear to them best cal- 

 culated to carry out the conclusions to which they may be led by these 

 inquiries and deliberations." 



The Committee of the Council appointed to consider these two resolutions 



