CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES. 575 



suggest the subjects for discussion. Much good work had been done at 

 these Conferences, but those whom he represented thought that if direct 

 suggestions from the local Societies were invited, the wants of the Societies 

 would be more advantageously considered than they had been in the past, 

 and that they would come into closer touch with each other. 



Staff-Commander Dubois Phillips, Pi..N., thought that the resolutions 

 .somewhat contradicted each other. According to the first resolution, the 

 Delegates were to meet on the first day of the meeting of the British 

 Associcition, and make their own arrangements for subsequent meetings ; 

 and the second resolution laid down hard and fast lines with regard to 

 the subjects for discussion and their order. The opinion of the Council 

 of the Society he represented was that Delegates should not come there to 

 discuss subjects such as could be discussed in the various Sections, but 

 that the Conferences should rather be business meetings to consider 

 questions such as that of copyright. It would be a very good thing to 

 ascertain the views of the various Societies as to the best subjects for 

 discussion. He thought that if the first Conference took place on the 

 first day of the British Association meeting very few Delegates would be 

 present at it. 



Mr. J. Hopkinson said that many of the proposals contained in the 

 resolutions had already been carried out. Last March a circular was sent 

 to each Corresponding Society asking it to send to the Corresponding 

 Societies Committee a list of subjects for discussion at the Bradford Con- 

 ference. Why, therefore, should there be a resolution stating that this 

 should be done 1 Only one Society had responded to this invitation by 

 suggesting a subject for discussion. And Mr. T. V. Holmes added that 

 the one subject sent in (Dew-ponds) would be discussed at the second 

 Conference. 



Mr. Hopkinson remarked that the first day of the British Associa- 

 tion meeting would be an exceedingly awkward time for the first 

 Conference on account of the meeting of the General Committee, and of 

 the delivery of the President's Address on that day. And not only was 

 that day impracticable for the first Conference, but it would also be impos- 

 sible to arrange then what should be done subsequently. Arrangements of 

 this kind must be made months beforehand. In his opinion the first resolu- 

 sion was impracticable, while, as regards the second, the most important 

 parts of it had already been carried out by the Corresponding Societies 

 Committee. 



Dr. Garson said that practically Thursday was the first day of the 

 British Association meeting, and that very few Delegates were ever likely 

 to be present at a meeting on Wednesday. The Corresponding Societies 

 Committee were always glad to get assistance from the Delegates in the 

 choice of subjects for discussion, and the complaint of the Committee 

 had long been that the local Societies did not take a sufficiently active part 

 in such matters. 



Mr. G. P. Hughes could not agree with the first resolution, as members 

 often arrived late on Wednesday. He thought some of the stipulations 

 in the second resolution should be adopted. 



Mr. William Gray said that the main object of these Conferences was 

 to encourage local Societies so as to make their local arrangements to 

 promote the chief object of the British Association, the advancement of 

 science. The British Association should jDoint out what matters they 

 wished the local Societies to investigate. At the first meeting of the 



