EXTRACT FROM THE LAWS. 



CHAPTER XII. 



OF THE MAGELLANIC FUND. 



Section i. John Hyacinth de Magellan, in London, having in the year 1786 

 offered to the Society, as a donation, the sum of two hundred guineas, to be by them 

 vested in a secure and permanent fund, to the end that the interest arising therefrom 

 should be annually disposed of in premiums, to be adjudged by them to the author of 

 the best discovery, or most useful invention, relating to Navigation, Astronomy, or Nat- 

 ural Philosophy (mere natural history only excepted) ; and the Society having accepted 

 of the above donation, they hereby publish the conditions, prescribed by the donor and 

 agreed to by the Society, upon which the said annual premiums will be awarded. 



CONDITIONS OF THE MAGELLANIC PREMIUM. 



1 . The candidate shall send his discovery, invention or improvement, addressed 

 to the President, or one of the Vice-Presidents of the Society, free of postage or other 

 charges ; and shall distinguish his performance by some motto, device, or other signa- 

 ture, at his pleasure. Together witlt his discovery, invention or improvement, he shall 

 also send a sealed letter containing the same motto, device or signature, and subscribed 

 with the real name and place of residence of the author. 



2. Persons of any nation, sect or denomination whatever, shall be admitted as can- 

 didates for this premium. 



3. No discovery, invention or improvement shall be entided to this premium, 

 which hath been already published, or for which the author hath been publicly rewarded 

 elsewhere. 



4. The candidate shall communicate his discovery, invention or improvement, 

 either in the English, Frenrch, German or Latin language. 



5. All such communications shall be publicly read or exhibited to the Society at 

 some stated meeting, not less than one month previous to the day of adjudication, and 

 shall at all times be open to the inspection of such members as shall desire it. But no 

 me.mber shall carry home with him the communication, description, 6r moder except the 

 officer to whom it shall be entrusted ; nor shall such officer part with the same out of 

 his custody, without a special order of the Society for that purpose. 



6. The Society, having previously referred the several communications from can- 

 didates for the premium, then depending, to the consideration of the twelve counsel- 

 ors and other officers of the Society, and having received their report thereon, shall, 

 at one of their stated meetings in the month of December, annually, after the expira- 

 tion of this current year (of the time and place, together with the particular occasion 

 of which meeting due notice shall be previously given, by public advertisement) pro- 

 ceed to final adjudication of the said premium ; and, after due consideration had, a vote 

 shall first be taJicen on this question, viz. : Whether any of the communications then 

 under inspection be worthy of the proposed premium ? If this question be determined 

 in the negative, the whole business shall be deferred till another year ; but if in the 

 . t, Dnative, the Society shall proceed to determine by ballot, given by the members at 



