330 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. — 191G. 



As lectures to members of local scientific societies and their friends 

 are usually given free, expenses are low and are met by the general 

 funds of the societies. The Secretary of the Buteshire Natural Plistory 

 Society says : ' Some years we have had lectures for the public for 

 which a charge was made— al>out 6d. There was usually a profit, after 

 paying everything, of a few shilhngs.' There is, however, rarely a 

 profit upon a public lecture. The Buchan Club, Aberdeen, estimates 

 the loss at 1/.. to 21. per lecture, and it is paid from the funds of the 

 society. Even with the well-arranged Gilchrist Lectures delivered 

 in various parts of the country, the average loss is about 101. a lecture 

 and is met by a grant from the Gilchrist Trustees. At Stockport ' the 

 hall has l>een hired, with charges for admission. The greatest profit in 

 the early years was approximately 20L In recent years there has been 

 a loss. A number of local gentlemen guaranteed a guinea each in case 

 of loss. No call has been made upon .them.' 



At University College, Nottingham, the loss per lecture is from 2L 

 to 51., but no allowance is made for the services of the lecturer and 

 his assistant, or for the use of apparatus. In such cases the loss is 

 met out of College funds. Lectures are likewise given in many places 

 as part of the educational work of museums and the cost is paid out 

 of the incomes of the institutions. When the museum is a municipal 

 institution, or lectures are arranged by a Free Public Library Com- 

 mittee, any loss comes out of the rates. Thus, the Secretary of the 

 Albert Institute, Dundee, says : ' As the lectures are all delivered within 

 the premises of the Free Ijibrary Committee, any charge for admission 

 is prohibited by the Public Libraries Acts. The Albert Institute Lec- 

 tures have pi'oved so popular that they are regarded as a branch of 

 the work of the Free Library Committee. A sum of about 25?. is 

 usually taken in the estimates of that Committee for expenses — 

 lantern operator, making slides, arranging halls, &c. All my lectures 

 are gratuitous.' 



Similarly, the Chief Librarian of the Ijiverpool Pulilic Libraries 

 remarks: 'The pubhc ' libraries are rate-supported, and lectures are 

 part of the public library work. This library was estal)lished by special 

 Act Oif Parliament, and not under Ewart's Library Act. Authority was 

 included in our Act to pay for lectures. The vote by our Council for 

 lectures during the past few years has been about 1,100L per year.' 



In other cases the cost of popular lectures is paid by the local 

 Education Committee or out of the grant made to the institution by 

 the Board of Education. 



Very few localities have special funds available for the expenses of 

 public lectures. The Secretary of the Kilmarnock Glenfield Eaml^lers' 

 Society says, however : ' The Kilmarnock Philosophical Society has 

 considprable funds for providing lectures, but has not done so for many 

 years.' At Dundee, ' the late Lord Annitstead gave, about twenty-five 

 years ago, a sum to establish "The Armitstead Lectures." No local 

 lecturers are engaged. A nominal charge for admission is made. These 

 were formerly well attended, but latterly the attendance has fallen 

 off. The Albert Institute Lectures now tax the full accommodation of 

 the Albert Hall. They are absolutely free to the public' 



