THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF TASMANIA 



The Royal Society of Tasmania was founded on the 14th Octo- 

 ber, 1843, by His Excellency Sir John Eardley Eardley Wilmot, 

 Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen's Land, as "The Botani- 

 cal and Horticultural Society of Van Diemen's Land." The 

 Botanical Gardens in the Queen's Domain, near Hobart, were 

 shortly afteiwards placed under its management, and a grant 

 of £400 a year towards their maintenance was made by the 

 Government. In 1844, His Excellency announced to the 

 Society that Her Majesty the Queen had signified her con- 

 sent to become its patron ; and that its designation should 

 thenceforward be ''The Royal Society- of Van Diemen's Land 

 for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement of Science." 



In 1848 the Society established the Tasmanian Museum ; and 

 in 1849 it commenced the publication of its "Papers and Pro- 

 ceedings." 



In 1854 the Legislative Council of Tasmania by "The Royal 

 Society Act" made provision for vesting the property of the 

 Society in trustees, and for other matters connected with the 

 management of its affairs. 



In 1855 the name of ihe Colony was changed to Tasmania, 

 and the Society then became "The Royal Society of Tasmania 

 for Horticulture, Botany and the Advancement of Science." 



In 1860 a piece of ground at the corner of Argvle and Mac- 

 quarie streets, Hobart. was given by the Crown to the Society 

 as a site for a Museum, and a grant of £3,000 was made for the 

 ei'ection of a building. The Society contributed £1,800 towards 

 the cost, and the new Museum was finished in 1862. 



In 1885 the Society gave back to the Crown the Botanical 

 Gardens and the Museum, which, with the collections of the 

 Museum, were vested in a body of trustees, of whom six are 

 chosen from the Society. In consideration of the services 

 it had rendered in the promotion of science, and in the for- 

 mation and management of the Museum and Gardens, the right 

 was reserved to the Society to hare exclusive possession of 

 sufficient and convenient rooms in the Museum, for the safe 

 custody of its Librarj^, and for its meetings, and for all other 

 purposes connected with it. 



In 1911 the Parliament of Tasmania, by "The Royal Society 

 Act, 1911," created the Society a bodv corporate by the name 

 of "The Royal Society of Tasmania," with perpetual succes- 

 sion. 



The object of the Society is declared by its Rules to be 

 "the advancement of knowledge." 



His Majesty the King is Patron of the Society ; and His 

 Excellency the Governor of Tasmania is President. 



