12 THOMSON, Presidential Address. 



Mr. Andrew Knowles, Dr. iS.ch.unck, and (others. The improve- 

 ments consisted in the b[uiildin-g of (libraries and other rooms 

 over (the first-floor rooms and' making" extensions and improve- 

 ments at the back an(d fit1o,njt of the building. Finally, wel are 

 indebted to the generosity, ,of one, of our most illustrious 

 members- — Dr. Henry Wilde, F.R.S., for an 'endowment of 

 ^8,265, the interest of which is at present employed for the 

 purposes of the Sooety. 



Dr. Robert Angus Smith, F.R.S., elected 1845, was Presi- 

 dent of the Society 1864-5. Tie was born at Glasgow, 15th 

 February, 1817, and died at Manchester, 1884, at trie age of 

 67. H<e was the firs|t chief inspector under the Alkali Act, 

 which became, under his judicious administration, a great 

 success. He was much interested (in (the impurities of the Man- 

 chester atmosphere. He wrote in 1881 "A Centenary of 

 Science in Manchester," in the preface of which he says: ". . . 

 The Literary and Philosophical Society has made Manchester 

 a scientific centre for a whole century, and has done much to 

 dispose it to seek a University and .givejh it a right to demand 

 one — a right which has been coai ceded." 



He further remarks a. pirlopos< of his appeal to the public for 

 a fund for extending the building, jof the Siociety's rooms :• — 



" Manchester is rich, but without science? it will not remain 

 so." There are about eighty qopiiels of this work left in the 

 Society's possession. It is an exceedingly interesting volume, 

 some of the members;, or others,, niay desire to possess ja 

 copy : such can be obtained through the Secretary. 



William Crawford Williamson, LL.D., F.R.S., elected 1851, 

 was President 1884-5. He • was born at Scarborough, 24th 

 November, 181 6, and died a,t 43, Elms Road, Clapham, 23rd 

 June, 1895, a ged 79 years. Professor of Botany at the Owens 

 College. 



His first paper to the Society was given in 1836, on " The 

 Distribution of Organic Remains in the Oolitic Formations on 

 the Coast of Yorkshire." , i 



Between that date and 1895 he contributed seventy -one 

 papers to the Society, chiefly on Palaeontology, tjhe most im- 

 portant being in connection with the fossil-fauna and flora of 

 the coal measures. 



Joseph Baxendell, F.R.S., F.R.A.S., elected 1858, the As- 

 tronomer, of Southport, was Joint Secretary for many years, 

 from 1 861 ito 1873 with Professor Dr. Henry E. Roscoe, and 

 from 1874 till 1880 with Professor Osborne Reynolds, M.A., 



