SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



17 



TUNBRIDGE WELLS CONGRESS. 



A CONGRESS of delegates from the principal 

 scientific societies and field clubs of south- 

 eastern England was held at Tunbridge Wells on 

 April 25th last. It was largely attended ; amongst 

 others, representatives were present from the 

 Tunbridge Wells Natural History and Philosophic 

 Society, Tunbridge Wells Amateur Photographic 

 Society, Bromley N.H.S.. Brighton N.H.S., North 

 Kent N.H.S., Sidcup N.H.S.. Horsham N.H.S., 

 Hastings and St. Leonards N.H.S., Rochester 

 N.H.S., West Kent N.H.S., New Brompton and 

 District N.H.S., Ealing N.H.S., Geologists' Associa- 

 tion, East Kent N.H.S., Dover N.H. and Antiquarian 

 Society, Eastbourne N.H.S., Folkestone N.H.S., 

 North London N.H.S., City of London College 

 Scientific Society, City of London N.H.S., Sidcup 

 Literary and Scientific Society, Maidstone N.H.S., 

 Society for the Protection of Birds ; and the 

 Commons Preservation Society. There was also 

 a large attendance of both ladies and gentlemen 

 interested in the Congress ; some of whom had 

 come long distances. 



The Rev. T. R. R. Stebbing, M.A.. F.L.S., 

 President of the Tunbridge Wells Society, was 

 elected Chairman. The Congress was originated 

 as well as largely organized and carried out 

 by Dr. George Abbott, Hon. Secretary of the 

 same society, the object being to pass certain 

 resolutions for the formation of a union of 

 natural history and scientific societies of south- 

 eastern England. The Chairman explained 

 the objects, which were concisely set out in the 

 following letter, written by Dr. Abbott to Sir 

 Douglas Galton, the President of the British 

 Association : — 



" The Natural History and Philosopical Society, 

 Tunbridge Wells ; March 2nd, 1896. Sir D. Galton. 

 — Dear Sir, — I beg to enclose you a programme of 

 the Natural History Congress which is to be held 

 here next April. Some remarks in your Ipswich 

 address encourage me to draw your attention to 

 the possible usefulness and importance of such 

 unions to the British Association. As soon as our 

 Union is established and we are in working order, 

 I shall propose that our district is divided up 

 amongst the different societies — to each being 

 allowed a definite portion of the map as its 

 sphere of work. Next, that each society shall 

 nominate and, with their consent, elect suitable 

 person or persons in every village in such district as 

 honorary corresponding members of the respective 

 societies and associates of the South-Eastern 

 Union of Scientific Societies. Each society would 

 offer the members : (i) Free admission to their 

 lectures and excursions ; (2) copies of their Transac- 

 tions; (3) the use of their library ; (4) assistance in 

 naming of specimens, and with the formation of school 

 museums. The corresponding members, in return, 

 would be asked to : (i) Forward surplus natural 

 history specimens to their societies' museum. 

 (2) Supply prompt information on the following 

 subjects : (a) new geological sections ; (b) details of 

 wells, borings, springs, etc. ; (c) finds of geological 

 and antiquarian interest. (3) Answer such questions 

 as the British Association or the local society may 

 require ; (4) keep an eye on historic buildings ; 

 (5) assist the Selborne Society in carrying out its 

 objects. Such appointments would be certain to 

 stimulate individual scientific work in the parishes, 

 and, if care were exercised in making the appoint- 

 ments, they would ere long be much appreciated. 

 If we are able to accomplish this in the south-east 



of England, I think there would be no difficulty in 

 starting and carrying on similiar Unions all over 

 England. Each Union would be certain to have 

 one or more representatives at your Annual 

 Congress, and in this way, as soon as the Unions 

 were universal, you would be in touch with persons 

 in almost every village in the United Kingdom. 

 Your circular letters of inquiry could then be sent 

 out to the secretaries of each Union, and soon 

 quickly distributed to all localites. I assume, of 

 course, that there is little or no need to increase the 

 number of members of the British Association, and 

 it is only because I think it would make its work 

 still more thorough and universal that I advocate 

 this new extension of its important work. On its 

 usefulness to the Natural History Societies I need 

 not dilate, as you doubtless know there are two or 

 three Unions actively engaged in doing scientific 

 work, and in direct communication with the 

 Association. In time, too, I hope ours will become 

 equally useful. After reading your Ipswich address, 

 I cannot help thinking that to this new scheme the 

 same arguments might be applied as those quoted 

 by you which were given originally in favour of the 

 establishment of the Association fifty years ago. 

 In conclusion, may I venture to suggest (a) that it 

 would be an advantage if a delegate from the 

 British Association attended our Congress at 

 Tunbridge Wells ; {b} that your Council should 

 consider the advisability of encouraging the 

 formation of similiar unions (ten or twelve) in the 

 different districts of the United Kingdom. A grant 

 of £2^ from your funds could do much, in the course 

 of one or two years, to establish all the Unions. 

 — Yours truly, G. Abbott." Upon the reading 

 of this letter, on the invitation of the Chairman, 

 Mr. Griffith, Assistant General Secretary of the 

 British Association made some general remarks 

 upon the advantage of such Union, and the possible 

 support which the Association might render at a 

 future time. 



On the proposition of the Chairman the following 

 resolution was carried : " That the delegates from 

 various scientific societies of Surrey, Kent, and 

 Sussex, assembled in Congress at Tunbridge Wells 

 on the 25th of April, 1S96, agree that the Congress 

 shall meet annually, by invitation, at the home of 

 one or other of the associated societies." It was 

 agreed to add London, Middlesex, and Hampshire 

 to these counties, It was then decided that the 

 Congress should meet annually at the home of one 

 of the associated societies, in a different town each 

 year, and that Dr. .\bbott should be the Hon. 

 Secretary of the Union ; the Rev. Mr. Stebbing 

 being elected President for the ensuing year. Tun- 

 bridge Wells was then selected as the next meeting 

 place. Several papers were then read, dealing 

 chiefly with the subject of the meeting, and a most 

 successful Congress brought to a close. The day's 

 proceedings included a short excursion before the 

 meeting, the visitors being shown the principal 

 features of the immediate neighbourhood, including 

 the outcrop of Tunbridge Wells sandstone. The 

 members of the Tunbridge Wells Society also 

 entertained the visitors to luncheon and tea. 



Owls' Pellets Wanted.— I should be much 

 indebted to anvone who will send me owls' pellets. 

 stating (if possible) the species to which they 

 belong, the locality ; also whether there is game m 

 the neighbourhood, and, if so, of what sort. (The 

 amount of postage will be returned.)— L/'oHf/ E. 

 Adams, 77, St. Giles' Stmi, Northampton. 



