412 
of £30 was adjudged to William Phelan, Esq., for his essay on the 
subject; and a sum of £30 to Andrew Carmichael, Esq. The essay by 
the latter gentleman will be found in vol. xii. of the Transactions. 
In May, 1813, a premium not exceeding £50 was offered for the 
best essay “‘On the effects of the discovery of Galvanism, both as re- 
garding the theory of Chemistry, and as an experimental agent.” A 
sum of £40 was voted to Mr. M. Donovan for his essay on the subject. 
The substance of this essay was incorporated in a work published by 
Mr. Donovan in 1816, entitled, ‘‘ An Essay on the origin, progress, and 
present state of Galvanism, containing investigations, experimental and 
speculative, of the principal doctrines offered for the explanation of its 
phenomena; and a statement of a new hypothesis.” 
In May, 1814, the following was selected as the prize question :— 
“Does a country derive any advantages, and of what nature, from 
lateness of civilization ?”’ 
Two essays were sent in: one of them was not received, on the 
ground that the author ‘‘had transgressed the rules marked for such 
compositions by the usage of the Academy, by having introduced points 
of religious and political controversy ;” the other essay was not deemed 
deserving of a prize. 
In May, 1815, the following subject was chosen :—‘ On the mix- 
ture of fable and fact in the early annals of Ireland, and the best modes 
of ascertaining what degree of credit those ancient documents are 
justly entitled to.” The prize was awarded to Thomas Wood, M.D., 
for his essay on this subject, which is printed in vol. xiii. of the Trans- 
actions. 
On May 13th of the same year it was resolved by the Council that the 
annual prize of £50 be for the current year divided into two parts of 
£25 each, and that, instead of one prize question proposed this year, 
two be substituted—one in science, and the other in polite literature. 
No subjects, however, seem to have been proposed in consequence of 
this resolution. 
At the stated meeting of the Academy in March, 1817, the Aca- 
demy adopted, on the recommendation of the Council, the following 
alteration in the by-law respecting the medals :—‘‘ That, in place of 
the annual premium, which has been heretofore adjudged to the best 
essays, upon a proposed subject, there be three medals given for the three 
best essays, one in science, one in polite literature, and one in antiquities, 
which shall be read during each session, and which may be deemed by 
the Council to be worthy of publication and of this reward, whether 
the papers be furnished by Members of the Academy or by strangers; 
that the said prizes shall be adjudged by ballot at some meeting of the 
Council between the Ist of January and the 16th of March in each 
year, to such essays as may have been given in before the first day of 
the year ; that each of these medals shall be of the weight of three 
ounces, and of gold, and shall be called the Cunningham Medal.” 
In the following year, the outgoing Council, alleging ‘“‘ the press of 
business,” did not dispose of the medals, and requested that the duty 
