PROCEEDINGS, MAY. 



MAY, 1889. 



The monthly evening meeting was held on May lith. The President, His 

 Excellency Sir Robert G. C. Hamilton, K.C.B., presided. 

 Mr. R, Price- Williams was introduced as a visitor. 



OSCILLATIOX OF LAND AND SEA LEVELS. 



Captain Shoktt, R.N., read "a paper on "The possible oscillation 

 of levels of land and sea in Tasmania during recent years." He referred 

 to the earth tremors experienced during the years of 18S3-S6, prior 

 to the Tarawera eruption, in this and adjacent colonies, and these 

 phenomena being known to often be associated \^ith local changes of 

 sea and land, he was led to form the opinion that it was of great 

 importance that it should be ascertained whether recent changes 

 could be traced along the coast line of this island. Great difficulty 

 naturally arose ov%'ing to the fact that with but one isolated exception 

 no definitely fixed marks were in existence. This exception was a 

 tide mark taking the form of a broad arrow on the Isle of the Dead, 

 situate off Point Puer, Port Arthur. This mark was cut in the rock by 

 Mr. Lempriere. He had made efforts to discover further records relating 

 to Mr. Lempriere's observations, having applied to Mr. Wharton, Hydro- 

 grapher of the Admiralty, but without success. By observations made in 

 February of last year, it was apparent that there had been no practical 

 alteration of the levels of sea and land during the past 47 years. This, 

 however, only bore reference of a reliable character in so far as the 

 southern portion of the island is concerned. Regarding the northern 

 portion no reliable data existed, but it was interesting to note that 

 Captain Miles had learned from the half-castes of the Furneaux Group 

 that they had noticed an apparent decrease of depth of water over 

 certain well-known rocks during recent years. He had taken steps to 

 fix a tide mark on Flinders Island, permitting of observations being 

 made in future, and urged the necessity of making such marks on 

 various parts of the coast line of the colony. 



CONGBATULATOKY. 



Mr. Baknard desired, on behalf of the Royal Society, of which he 

 was one of the oldest vice-presidents, to thank His Excellency for 

 the part taken by him in that afternoon's proceedings relative to 

 the new wing now added to the Museum building. He referred to the 

 small beginnings in the matter of a museum first taken up by the 

 Tasmanian Scientific Institution, of which Institution only two members 

 — Dr. Agnew and himself — now remained alive. They then had an 

 exhibition of specimens in a room in Macquarie-street without any 

 attempt at classification. He congratulated the Royal Society on the 

 progress made, and also the Museum Trustees on the fine addition 

 to their building, for despite the fact that there were some persons 

 who regarded the Museum and Royal Society as separate institutions, he 

 could not in his mind separate them, for they had one object, the 

 advancement and increase of knowledge. He also referred in con- 

 gratulatory terms respecting the movement in the direction of an art 

 gallery. 



PAPERS. 



THE ENGLISH AT THE DEKWENT AND THE RISDON SETTLEMENT. 



Mr. J. B. Walker read a paper on this subject. He referred to a 

 paper read by him last November on French visits to this colony and 



