1901-1902.] 41 



M.R.I.A., when Mr. Wm. Gray, M.R.I.A., delivered an 

 address on " The British Association, its Objects and Work- 

 ings." 



Mr. Gray said — About the commencement of the second 

 quarter of the last century there prevailed in these kingdoms 

 and the Continent a growing desire to elevate and extend popu- 

 lar education, and the more systematic investigation of natural 

 and physical science, and to apply its results to meet daily 

 wants, increase material comforts, and extend commercial pros- 

 perity. The Royal Society, the premier scientific society of the 

 world, was founded 170 years before. The Society of Arts was 

 founded in 1754, the Royal Irish Academy in 1786, and many 

 other large metropolitan societies were already established, but 

 minor societies were being formed in several centres of in- 

 dustry. In this movement Belfast took a prominent and 

 very worthy place. The Royal Academical Institution was 

 in operation, the Botanic Gardens were established, and the 

 Natural History and Philosophical Society, founded in 1821,, 

 projected the building of the Museum, which was creditably 

 opened, free of debt, in 1834. In 1831, the Irish National Edu- 

 cation System was created, and was far in advance of anything 

 previously attempted in Great Britain or Ireland. It pos- 

 sessed many elements of very great promise, but subsequent 

 unhappy circumstances hindered their development. The 

 system is now far in the wake of the educational systems of 

 the sister kingdoms. In 1823 there was founded in Germany 

 a peripatetic congress of scientists, which met annually at one 

 of the many centres of learning in that country. Even at 

 that period the educationalists of these countries were as dis- 

 posed to follow Germany in educational matters as they aim 

 at doing now with reference to the promotion of technical 

 instruction, and hence Sir David Brewster, Sir Roderick Mur- 

 chison. Sir John Herschel, and other prominent scientists sug- 

 gested the idea of forming a similar association in England, 

 which should meet annually at some educational or industrial 

 centre throughout the kingdom. The first practical step 

 taken to give effect to this project was a letter written by Sir 



