( clxiv ) 



Monday Eyeiv-ixg, Maech 5, 1877. 



(Special Meeting.) 



SAiTtTEL Feiigijso:!^, LL.D., Yice-President, in the Chair. 



The Secretary of Council announced that the President of the 

 Academy had intimated that he would not present himself for re- 

 election at the approaching Stated Meeting. 



The Secretary of Council read the following Eeport of the Council, 

 as to negotiations with the Government, and the letters from the 

 Government communicating the conditions proposed as to the transfer 

 of the Museum of the Academy to the new " Science and Art Mu- 

 seum," and as regards the re-transfer of the Vote for the Academy to 

 the charge of the Irish Government, as well as to the future provision 

 for the maintenance and augmentation of the collection of Aatiquities. 



EEPOET OF THE COUNCIL. 



On the last occasion (26th of June, 1876), when the Academy had 

 under its consideration a Report from the Council in relation to the 

 question pending with the Government as to the transfer of the 

 charge of its Vote from the Chief Secretary for Ireland to the Science 

 and Art Department, a Petition to the House of Commons on the sub- 

 ject was adopted,, and the Council were authorized to take the requi- 

 site steps for its presentation, if they should find it advisable. Purther 

 time having elapsed without any communication having been received 

 from the Government, and the close of the Session being at hand, 

 your Petition was entrusted for presentation to the Members for the 

 City of Dublin, and just before the rising of Parliament was presented 

 by Mr. Maurice Brooks, and was one of those selected by the Com- 

 mittee on Public Petitions to be printed in their last Eeport for the 

 Sessions (31st Report, Appendix, p. 228). 



The Council were gratified to observe that the attention of the 

 House of Lords was called to the subject by Lord O'Hagan, who 

 moved for a Return of " copies of all public olficial coiTespondence (com- 

 mencing 8th of February, 1876) between the Irish Government, the 

 Treasury, the Science and Art Department, the Royal Dublin Society, 

 and the Royal Irish Academy, on the subject of the proposed Esta- 

 blishment of a Science and Art Department in Dublin." 



