Proceedings, &c, for 1868. v 



" The Council believe the Society will derive credit from its thus 

 " endeavouring to draw public attention to subjects of a highly useful 

 " and important character, and therefore cannot help regretting that 

 " the various sections as provided for by Law 60, have not met with 

 " support from the general body of members. 



" The Council are of opinion the interests of the Society would be 

 " also materially advanced, if the Ordinary Meetings could take place 

 " twice in a month, as scientific discoverers would thus be afforded a 

 " better opportunity of placing their papers more readily before the 

 " public. The position of the Royal Society would be also one of 

 " greater importance, as it would enable the Council to issue quarterly 

 " parts of the Transactions, while at the present time the cost of 

 " printing and the labour of revising, renders a quarterly periodical, 

 " containing not more than three or four papers, a heavy burden, 

 " without offering an adequate return. If the members are desirous 

 " that such alterations in the Ordinary Meetings should be made, and 

 " which will of course entail a very large additional amount of work 

 " on the Executive, their wishes should be now signified ; but the 

 " Council urge upon members the necessity of carrying out such a 

 " motion by contributions of papers, which during the past year have 

 " emanated but from very few members of the Society. 



" In May, Part I. of Vol. VIII. of the Transactions was issued and 

 " forwarded to the members, honorary members, and the learned 

 " societies with which the Royal Society is in correspondence the 

 u second part of the volume is now ready for issue, bringing the papers 

 " and proceedings up to the close of the year 1867. The Council 

 " appeal with confidence to the general body of members that the 

 " labour necessarily incurred by these publications will be appreciated, 

 " and trust the future Executive will be enabled to prevent the 

 " Transactions ever again falling into arrear. 



" During the Session twelve new members were elected. The 

 " Council, however, regret having had to remove four names from the 

 " roll of membership for non-payment of subscription, but it feels 

 " sdme pleasure in stating that after a careful revision of the list, there 

 '* appears little necessity for having recourse to such a proceeding in 

 " the coming year. 



" By the Balance-sheet, duly audited by Messrs. Blackburn and 

 " Zumstein, it will be seen that the balance at the credit of the 

 " Society is £30 19s. 7d. The assets and liabilities are also appended. 



" A grant of £100, to assist in defraying the expenses of publishing 

 " the Transactions has been kindly placed on the estimates by the Hon. 

 " the Treasurer, who has ever taken an interest in the Royal Society, 

 " and which aid, considering the large number of volumes distributed 

 " gratuitously abroad, the Council believe the Society fairly entitled 

 " to. Unfortunately that amount has not yet been received, but 

 " taking it as a good asset, it places the Royal Society in a financial 

 " position which for years it has not witnessed. The Council call the 



