50 BEITISH ASSOCIATION FOE THE ADYANCEHEKT OE SCIENCE. 



pound VO s . Rammelsberg's analysis gave 1*7.41 per cent, of VO 3 : a value cor- 

 responding to 20.31 per cent, of VO s . In this manner the total results of the 

 analysis are brought up to 99.69; and the isomorphism of Vanadinite with Pyro- 

 morphite satisfactorily explained. Before this view can be received, however, it 

 will be for the chemist to determine if there be any real grounds for the assump- 

 tion of the existence of this higher oxygen compound. So far as present researches 

 go, the tendency of vanadic acid, VO 3 , would appear to be altogether towards re- 

 duction. The question, however, here, is not the conversion of VO 3 into VO 5 , 

 but the reverse : a process which we might readily conceive to take place, were 

 the existence of the latter compound allowed to be probable. 



E. J. C. 



THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



Cheltenham, 6th August, 1856. 



After the requisite preliminary business, conducted by the General Committee of 

 the Association, and including the reading of the Report of the Council, and of that 

 of the Kew Committee, the body of members assembled to witness the resignation 

 of the Chair by the Duke of Argyle, to his successor, Professor Daubeny, and to 

 hear the President's Address. On this occasion the occupation of the Chair of 

 the British Association by one not only distinguished as -a Chemist, but by one who 

 is no less eminent as a Botanist, gave a new character to the Presidential Address. 

 After some preliminary remarks of a personal nature, Dr. Daubeny proceeded with 

 his address, from which we have only room for a brief selection of passages of 

 special interest. Referring to the British Association as alike valuable as an efficient 

 instrument for the furtherance of scientific objects, and as a model after which other 

 associated scientific bodies have been organized, the President thus proceeded : 



It is rather remarkable that the first idea of an Association of such a kind should 

 have suggested itself only a year after death had deprived us of our three most 

 distinguished philosophers : — for who had we then left to compare with Davy for 

 the brilliancy and importance of his discoveries ; with Young for the singular 

 union of almost universal acquirements with admirable powers of invention ; and 

 with Wollaston for an acuteness of mental vision, which gave him the same advan- 

 tage in the pursuits of science which the naturalist, armed with a microscope has 

 over the unassisted observer ? Just as in the animal economy the vis medicatrix 

 naturae sometimes makes an extraordinary effort to repair the damage inflicted by 

 injury or disease, so it would seem as if Science, conscious of the loss she had 

 sustained in the almost simultaneous extinction of her three brightest luminaries, 

 endeavoured to make good the deficiency by concentrating into one focus those 

 that yet remained, to light her onwards on her path. At any rate, the progress 

 which the Natural Sciences have made since that period, although doubtless attri- 

 butable to several concurrent causes, is a fact which must not be overlooked in es- 

 timating the services rendered by this Association to the cause of human advance- 

 ment; nor can I in any better manner point out its value than by bringing before 

 your notice a few of the additions to our knowledge which have been made since 

 I la3t addressed you. 



