ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. XXXiX 



mineralogy and geology under the tuition of Werner at Freiberg, 

 where he commenced his studies in 1790. Although he had for 

 many years retired from the active field of science, the "Transactions" 

 both of the Royal and of our own Society bear witness to the labours 

 of his early life. Amongst his communications to this Society, I 

 must particularly mention the Memoir published in the First Volume 

 of the Second Series of our " Transactions," entitled ** Geological Ob- 

 servations on part of Gloucestershire and Somersetshire ; " and 

 another "On the Geological Relations of the South of Ireland." He 

 died at his residence in Pimlico on the 2nd of July, 1855. 



The Right Hon. Sir H. Ellis, K.C.B., was brother to the late 

 Charles Ellis, Esq., formerly consul at Tangiers. At an early period 

 of his life he embraced the diplomatic profession. He accompanied 

 the Earl of Amherst to China in 1792, and published "an account 

 of the Embassy. Having been wrecked on his return with the 

 ambassador, they escaped to Java in an open boat, after a perilous 

 voyage of several hundred miles. In 1814 he was appointed Minister 

 Plenipotentiary to Persia, from whence he returned with a treaty of 

 peace. In 1835 he again went to Persia in the same capacity, but 

 having returned in the following year, he was soon afterwards sent 

 on an extraordinary and secret mission to the Brazils in 1842. It 

 was during his stay in this last country that he forwarded to this 

 Society the interesting collection of fossil bones which were subse- 

 quently described by Professor Owen. 



Amongst the distinguished statesmen who have been Members of 

 this Society, the name of Sir William Molesworth must not be 

 forgotten. Chiefly remarkable for his literary and political acquire- 

 ments, to which, highly as we appreciate them, I have at present no 

 occasion to allude. Sir William Molesworth, after an honourable 

 career in the House of Commons, was, on the formation of Lord 

 Aberdeen's administration in 1853, appointed to the office of First 

 Commissioner of Public Works. In this capacity Sir W. Moles- 

 worth had to consider the important question of the juxtaposition of 

 the Scientific Societies in one building. What the scheme would 

 have ended in, had it not been for the breaking out of the war, it is 

 difficult to say ; but this I am bound to mention, that the accommo- 

 dation of the Geological Society in a central position, in a building 

 suited to its wants, and in close proximity to other scientific societies, 

 would have found in Sir W. Molesworth, so far at least as the space 

 or means at his disposal would have permitted, a warm and zealous 

 advocate. 



As Colonial Minister again, a post to which he subsequently suc- 

 ceeded, the career of Sir W. Molesworth would not have been indif- 

 ferent to the Geological Society. Our investigations now extend 

 over most of the British Colonies, in many of which geological in- 

 quiries have been set on foot, and are carried on by the Home or 

 Colonial Governments. From many of these, in Canada, in Austra- 

 lia, in Ceylon, and in Africa, we have received during the past years 



