305 



all the sums received on account of compositions for annual payments 

 are in future to be invested in the funds. In the present year, 

 however, this principle cannot be brought into operation ; owing 

 chiefly to the extraordinary expenses attending the arrangements 

 necessary for the fitting up of the new rooms, and the cost of the 

 new classed Catalogue. It has also been determined that, as the 

 sum thus paid by each member as his composition is found, on an 

 average, to bear a very inadequate proportion to the annual contri- 

 butions for which it is substituted, this sum shall in future be 

 raised from £40 to £60, to all those Fellows who have not contri- 

 buted a paper to the Philosophical Transactions ; while those who 

 have presented to the Society a paper which has been printed in the 

 Transactions, shall still be allowed the privilege of compounding for 

 the smaller of these sums. 



On the subject of the Library the Couucil have, in the first place, 

 to report that the manuscript of the classed Catalogue is now very 

 nearly completed, and that the printing of it will be very soon com- 

 menced. 



The Council beg, in the second place, to congratulate the Society 

 on their having, after so much delay, at length obtained possession of 

 the apartments lately occupied as the Exchequer Office, and granted 

 by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, on the re- 

 presentation made to them by His Royal Highness our President, 

 to the Royal, conjointly with the Astronomical, Society. The apart- 

 ments retained by the Royal Society are four in number : the first 

 is a room adjoining to the upper library, from which a door has been 

 opened into it, and which has been fitted up with shelves for the re- 

 ception of the books formerly kept in the rooms on the basement 

 floor of the next house, under the rooms of the Geological Society. 

 The second is a smaller room, communicating by a door with the 

 Council-room. The third is also a small room, opening into the 

 ante-room, on the same floor ; and the Council have granted to Mr. 

 Roberton the use of this room, together with coals and candles, and 

 have required of him, in consideration of this favour, to engage to 

 be in attendance, generally, from nine in the morning till five in the 

 afternoon, and also at the evening meetings of the Society. The 

 fourth room is situated on a lower floor. 



It having been determined at a former Council, in November of 

 last year, that application should be made to the Lords of the Ad- 

 miralty to direct the observations made at various stations by their 

 order, to be printed at the public expense ; their Lordships have gra- 

 ciously acceded to this request. 



The Council, having been applied to by the Commissioners of Ex- 

 cise to undertake 4:he investigation of the proper instruments, and 

 the construction of tables, for ascertaining the strength of spirits, 

 with a view to the more accurate charging of the duty thereon, have 

 appointed a Committee for conducting the proposed inquiry, and ful- 

 filling the objects of the requisition. 



The Copley Medal has been awarded by the Council to Professor 

 Plana for his work, entitled " Theorie du Mouvement de laLune." 



