Minutes of Proceedings. 5 



dertaking, Tvould afford; and in order to aid them in the administra- 

 tion of the Science and Art Museum, the Natural History Collections, 

 and the Botanic Gardens, they propose to constitute a Board of 

 Visitors, consisting of twelve Members — four nominated by the Lord 

 Lieutenant, five by the Royal Dublin Society, three by the Eoyal 

 Irish Academy — the Members to be appointed for a limited time, but 

 to be re-eligible ; and a President, to be elected annually by the Board ; 

 and that the duties of the Board of Visitors would be to make annual 

 reports to the Science and Art Department, which should be laid 

 before Parliament, on the condition, management, and requirements 

 of the Museum, and to advise on points affecting the adminis- 

 tration. 



' ' Parliament has now sanctioned the building of the Science and 

 Art Museum ; and as some of the collections and departments con- 

 nected with it are already in existence, and the selection of the site 

 for the Museum, on the property which has now been vested in 

 Government, must shortly be made, the Lords of the Committee of 

 Council on Education are most anxious to have the benefit of the 

 assistance of Visitors from the commencement of this important 

 national undertaking. 



"I am therefere directed to request that you will be so good as to 

 move your Academy to nominate three gentlemen to serve on the 

 Board for a period of five years. 



"I am, Sir, 



' ' Your obedient servant, 



"jS"oeman M'Leod. 

 ^' The PEEsroENT, Eotai Ibish Academy." 



The President stated that the subject of this letter would be con- 

 sidered at the Meeting of the 28th inst., and the election of three 

 Visitors of the JSTational Museum would be then proceeded with. 



After some remarks by the President on the loss the Academy had 

 experienced by the lamented death of their late President, Dr. Stokes, 

 the following Resolution was passed unanimously : — 



" That the Royal Irish Academy, having received with deep regret 

 the announcement of the death of Dr. Stokes, desires to place on 

 record its sense of the eminent services which he rendered to Science, 

 and also of the zeal which he showed as President of the Academy for 

 its honour and its interests ; and that a copy of this Resolution be 



