AN2«IVEKSART MEETING BARLOW-JAMESON FUND. 37 



Dr. Blaneord, — 



1 will ask you to transmit this Award to Mr. Johnston-Lavis. 

 In this country happily the volcanic fires have long ceased to 

 glow, and the earthquake seldom causes more than a transient 

 tremor. It is otherwise on the shores of the Bay of Naples, 

 where again and again during the last eighteen centuries Vesuvius 

 has rained down ruin ; and of late years the earthquakes of Ischia 

 have wrought destruction on the works, and desolation in the 

 homes, of men. It is true that these phenomena of the darker 

 side of nature have not been unobserved by the many illus- 

 trious men of science to whom Italy has given birth ; but " the 

 curse of Babel" has debarred some of us from access to their 

 works. This alone gives an exceptional value to the elaborate 

 studies which Mr. Johnston-Lavis has undertaken of the various 

 eruptive-products of Vesuvius, and of the Ischian earthquakes. 

 There is yet another advantage, that natural phenomena should 

 be studied by men of different nations, diverse training, and varied 

 habits of mind. In recognition of his past labours and in furtherance 

 of future work in the vicinity of Naples, the Council have awarded 

 to him a grant from the Barlow-Jameson Pund, which I have much 

 pleasure in placing in your hands. 



Dr. Blaneord, in reply, said that the best mode of replying to the 

 kind remarks made by the President would be to read a letter 

 which he had received from Dr. Johnston-Lavis. That gentleman 

 said : — 



" It was with a considerable amount of astonishment and pleasure 

 that I received your letter announcing the Grant from the Barlow- 

 Jameson Fund, since the news was so perfectly unexpected. The 

 honour thus paid me for my attempts to clear up some questions in 

 vulcanology and seismology will stimulate mo to further follow that 

 line of investigation, with the hope of adding something more to 

 our knowledge of those subjects. 



" My professional work at this season prevents me from having 

 the great pleasure of being present in person to receive this mark of 

 esteem from the hands of our President. Will you kindly express 

 my deep gratitude to the Society for so generously conferring such 

 an honour upon me." 



VOL. XLIl. 



