Minutes of Proceedings. 35 



" A conclusion might possibly be aflSjmecl by a majority of the mem- 

 bers of the conference, and a consequent expression of opinion come to 

 the Council, which would be at variance with the views of the Science 

 Committee of the Academy. This would be practically to supersede 

 on the occasion the Science Committee in the office which belongs to 

 it exclusively, of advising the Council on all matters relating to the 

 cultivation or interests of Science. 



"I am therefore directed to inform you that the Council, whilst 

 prepared to sanction the holding of the conference on the basis of the 

 Resolution already communicated to you, cannot agree to such a 

 course as is suggested in your letter of the 1 9th instant. 

 "I am, my dear Sir, 



' ' Yours faithfully, 



"John K. Inge am, 

 " Secretary of Council, R. I. A. 



'^ Geoege Johnstone Stoney, Esq., F. R. S., 

 " Secretarij, Royal Bullin Society.'''' 



[5] 



" EoYAL Dublin Society, 



" Kilbaee-Stkeet, 



"lOtJi of May 1877. 

 "My deae Sie, 



"I have laid before the Council of this Society your letter of the 

 30th ult., in which you inform me that the Council of the Royal Irish 

 Academy, whilst prepared to sanction the holding of a conference on 

 the basis of the Resolution already communicated to me, cannot agree 

 to such a course as is described in my letter of the 19th ult., and, in 

 reply, the Council of this Society direct me to express, through you, 

 to the Council of the Royal Irish Academy their regret that the Coun- 

 cil of the Academy have not allowed such a conference to take place as 

 was proposed by the Council of this Society. 



' ' Such a conference would have brought together a body of scientific 

 men, sitting apart from Agriculturists and Antiquarians, and not re- 

 presenting exclusively the Corporation of the Academy or the Corpora- 

 tion of the Royal Dublin Society. There was therefore reason to 



3a 



