114 Roijal Iri^h Academy. 



The President delivered the following Address in presenting- 

 Cunningham Medals to Dr. Eobert S. Ball, f.e.s., for his "Researches 

 on Mechanics," and to "W. Archer, f.e.s., for his "Biological 

 Hesearches" : — 



The Council having had under their consideration the recent ad- 

 vances in the Mathematical, Physical, and Biological Sciences which 

 have heen effected by the labours of this Academy, and of which. 

 results have been published in the volumes of our Proceedings and 

 Trans actiotis, have decided that Cunningham Medals shall be conferred 

 upon Dr. Robert S. Ball, Astronomer Royal for Ireland, for his re- 

 searches in Mechanics ; and upon Mr. William Archer for his Biolo- 

 gical Investigations. In now presenting on the part of the Council^ 

 and of the Academy, those medals to our distinguished colleagues, 

 I shall endeavour, though very briefly, to submit to the notice of the 

 Members the grounds on which those honorary rewards have been, 

 made. 



Dr. Ball's title to an eminent position in the world of Irish Science,, 

 and in this Academy, might claim the sanction of hereditary right — a 

 claim which those who, like myself, have had the pleasure and ad- 

 vantage of association with his esteemed father in those efforts for the 

 promotion of scientific objects to which much of the present eminent 

 position of this Academy is due — would be the first to recognise ; but 

 he can afford to waive even such well-founded rights to our sympathy 

 and respect, and to leave his claims to the well-deserved honour he is 

 now about to receive, on his own individual services to Science and to 

 the Academy. 



Having devoted himself specially to the cultivation of the Mathe- 

 matical and Physical Sciences, Dr. Ball became Professor of Applied 

 Mathematics in the Royal College of Science, on which position he 

 conferred special value and importance by his admirable lectures on 

 Practical Mechanics, and by the organization of laboratories for phy- 

 sical research and instruction. Those lectures have been published, 

 and constitute a work of standard value in scientific literature. 

 Some other works on Mechanics and Astronomy, of a more elemen- 

 tavy character, served to illustrate Dr. Ball's powers as a clear and 

 popular, while thoroughly accurate, expounder of scientific truth, 

 as did also the various Papers read and explained by him before the 



