REPORT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE. xlvii 



7. The Report of the Parliamentary Committee of the British Association 

 to the General Committee has been received by the Council, and is herewith 

 transmitted. 



Report of the Parliamentary Committee to the Meeting of the British 

 Association at Aberdeen, in September 1859. 



The Parliamentary Committee have the honour to report as follows : — 



We have taken the opinion of Counsel on the question, whether it is ex- 

 pedient to cause a Bill to be prepared to facilitate the appointment of new 

 Trustees to Museums and other Scientific Institutions. 



The Opinion is appended to this Report. 



A vacancy has occurred in that division of our members who represent 

 the House of Commons, by the retirement of Mr. Edward J. Cooper, of 

 Markree, from Parliament. 



We cannot but deeply regret the loss of the services of a gentleman who 

 has devoted a great part of his life to the successful promotion of Astrono- 

 mical Science. It will also be for the General Committee to determine 

 whether they will appoint another member of the House of Commons in 

 the place of the Earl of Ripon, who, since his election at Leeds, has taken 

 his seat in the House of Lords. This case is not in terms provided for in 

 the original constitution of our Committee ; but we are of opinion that it 

 was intended that no one should cease to belong to our body, as long as he 

 continued a member of either House of Parliament. 



While, however, there can be little doubt that Lord Ripon continues a 

 member of the Parliamentary Committee, it may still be deemed expedient 

 that the representatives of the House of Commons should not be diminished 

 in number; in which case there will be two vacancies to supply. We re- 

 commend that Lords Enniskillen, Harrowby, and Stanley, and Mr. Stephen- 

 son, who have not attended during the past two years, be re-elected. 



During the course of last year, an intention was manifested on the part of 

 the Government, of greatly restricting the free distribution of scientific 

 works published at the expense of the public, and of causing the works so 

 undistributed to be sold at the cost price of printing and paper. 



It is unnecessary to enlarge on the very injurious moral results which would 

 accrue to Science, and the insignificant pecuniary gain to the public likely 

 to arise from the change in contemplation ; for we have reason to believe 

 that the Government have been induced, by the representations which have 

 been addressed to them, to abandon their original intention. 



Wrottesley, Chairman. 



24th August, 1859. 



The Opinion. 



The 13 and 14< Vict. c. 28, is loosely drawn, and I think many cases might 

 arise in which it would be found that its provisions are inadequate ; but, as 

 I understand that there is no intention of altering this Act, it is unnecessary 

 to comment on it ; and I pass to the consideration of whether it is practicable 

 to extend the principle of it to personal estate, other than leaseholds, which 

 are included in the existing Act. 



I confess I do not see how such an enactment as is proposed would work, 

 except by adding to it such conditions as would prevent its being of any 

 practical convenience. The property under contemplation is, of course, 

 stock in the funds and in public companies, debts, and other choses in 

 action : — personal chattels, passing by delivery of possession, there is no diffi- 



