OF THE AUSTRALIAN MEETING. 695 
been supplied with an Information List containing particulars arranged 
under the following headings :— 
: No. of Con- Train from Adelaide, 
2 
Member’s | Member’s baal rycen Adelaide 
Nes Pasar Adelaide | No. of No. of |No.of Com- Address 
| Station Train | Coach | partment | 
On the arrival of each party at Adelaide Station, cabs and motor- 
cars, each bearing a distinguishing number, were in waiting, and 
Members, being able to identify their conveyances from the numbers 
in the Information List (and with the assistance of local officers who 
were in attendance), were expeditiously conveyed to the addresses where 
accommodation had been arranged for them. Their baggage (except- 
ing hand-baggage) was dealt with, here and elsewhere, independently. 
Contracts had been made with a firm of carriers in each centre to 
collect and distribute baggage. The special luggage-labels bore the 
Members’ distinguishing numbers in large figures, in order that the 
carriers might be able readily to sort the baggage. 
The same method of distributing both Members and their baggage 
on arrival at each centre was relied upon throughout. 
The Reception Room (Elder Hall) and Association Offices at Ade- 
laide were established in the University. 
The Meeting and the War.—It was known, not only in Australia 
but also to the Members arriving at this date, that the British Empire 
had become involved in war. The majority of Members of the Council 
present in Adelaide therefore immediately met (on the afternoon of 
August 8) in order to assure the Australian authorities of their acquies- 
cence, on behalf of the Overseas Party, in any modification of the 
programme which might be found desirable in these unhappy circum- 
stances. Professors Orme Masson, T. W. Edgeworth David, and E. C. 
Stirling were present, and, as official representatives of the Federal 
Council and the Local Executives, expressed appreciation of the 
thoughtfulness which prompted this assurance, but felt strongly that 
the scientific and other business of the Meeting should proceed, even 
if it were necessary to modify some of the social functions. A telegram 
received by the President while this discussion was in progress, from 
His Excellency the Governor-General, Sir R. Munro-Ferguson, sup- 
ported these views :— 
.‘T heartily welcome you and the Members of the British Asso- 
ciation to Australia. Wish your arrival could have taken place in 
a less anxious time, but trust that, in spite of the grave pre-occupa- 
tion of the moment, your visit may be a happy one and fruitful in 
good results.’ 
It may be stated here that this wish, so far as concerned the 
visiting party, was amply fulfilled. Modifications consequent upon the 
international situation were practically negligible, so: far as concerned 
the Australian programme, although, as will be seen later, the plans 
for the homeward journeys of many of the Members had to be changed. 
