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Address of the President, Sir Archibald Geikie, K.C.B., at 

 the Anniversary Meeting on November 30, 1911. 



The first duty which devolves upon us at these Anniversaries is to take 

 note of the losses by death which the Society has suffered during the year 

 that has passed. The sadness which cannot but be felt in recounting these 

 losses and realising by how much poorer they have made the Society is, 

 perhaps, somewhat lessened on the present occasion by the fact that our 

 ranks have suffered rather less diminution than usual. On the Home List 

 we have lost thirteen Fellows, on the Foreign List only one. 



At the Anniversary last year, in presenting the Copley Medal, I had an 

 opportunity of briefly referring to some of the leading features in the career 

 of Sm Francis Galton, to whom the Medal had been awarded. Within 

 a few weeks thereafter that distinguished man, full of years and honours, 

 passed to his rest. In the brief interval of these weeks, I had the pleasure 

 of visiting him at his temporary home in the country, and of hearing from 

 his own lips how greatly he was gratified that the Ptoyal Society, of whose 

 Fellowship he was always so appreciative, should have bestowed on him its 

 highest honour. It was, he said, the crowning distinction of his life. I did 

 not think at the time that it would be the last mark of recognition that 

 would come to him, for he looked as well as he had done for a long time ; his 

 keen interest in scientific progress was unabated, and his mind and memory 

 clear as ever. In him we mourn an accomplished and generous man of 

 science, who devoted his long life and energies to the advancement of 

 natural knowledge. It is a pleasing remembrance to us that in conferring 

 the Copley Medal upon him the Eoyal Society brightened the last days of 

 one of the most loyal of its Fellows. 



On the side of the physical sciences the Society has lost some prominent 

 representatives. In Dr. Johnstone Stoney another has passed away of that 

 brilliant band of physicists whom Ireland has given to science. He died on 

 July 1 last at the ripe age of 85, carrying with him to the grave the 

 affectionate regrets of a wide circle of friends, who appreciated his scientific 

 labours and lifelong enthusiasm, and who esteemed his gentle and kindly 

 nature. 



Samuel Hawksley Burbury, who was a very regular attendant at our 

 meetings, died on August 31, in his 80th year. He had at Cambridge a 

 career which was remarkable for combining the highest honours in classical 

 literature with mathematical distinction. He was called to the Bar in 

 vol. Lxxxrv. — b. 2 K 



