344 



Anniversary Meeting, 



[Nov. 30, 



Society, to request an audience with the Home Secretary, principally on 

 the subject of the clauses that limited the making of experiments to 

 registered localities, thus preventing physiologists from pursuing their 

 researches during their vacation travels, or at their temporary residences 

 at vi^atering-places and other localities in which no registered institu- 

 tion existed. On this occasion also I found a willing ear lent to the 

 Society's voice, followed by a favourable consideration of our representa- 

 tions, special certificates being now procurable which enable the experi- 

 menter to pursue his researches wherever he may be. On the same 

 occasion I urged the confining the operation of the Bill to warm-blooded 

 animals, but with only partial success ; the provision which extended to 

 all animals was finally curtailed, so as to apply to the vertebrate class 

 only. Lastly, a protest against the clause compelling all experimenters 

 to transmit to the Secretary of State a detailed report of all the experi- 

 ments they might undertake, and their results, was more successful ; for 

 the Eill now requires reports to be made only when called for by the 

 Secretary of State. 



The Loan Collection of Scientific Instruments. — In my address of last 

 year the proposed action of Governm^ent in reference to this important 

 object was stated, together with the opinion of the Lord President and 

 Vice-President of the Council, that it might prove the means of carry- 

 ing out that recommendation of the Science Commissioners which dealt 

 with the want of a Museum illustrating methods of experimenting and 

 means of observing (see 4th Eeport, §93). This was followed by a letter 

 from the Duke of Richmond addressed to myself, suggesting that the 

 Scientific Societies should organize in connexion with the Exhibition a 

 series of Conferences, similar to the sectional meetings of the British 

 Association. This led to that brilliant gathering in May last of scientific 

 men from the metropolis and all parts of Europe (not fewer than thirty- 

 five from Germany alone), and from America, many of them charged by 

 their Governments to report on the collections, and to those public 

 lectures on the instruments and apparatus displaj^-ed by many of the 

 most eminent of these scientific men, which imparted such value and in- 

 terest to the Exhibition. 



Among the objects so exhibited, amounting to 20,000 in all, were to 

 be seen specimens of the work or evidences of the genius of a considerable 

 proportion of the eminent scientific men and manufacturers of scientific 

 instruments from the days of Tycho Brahe and Galileo down to the present 

 day, together with a collection of the appliances for scientific teaching 

 adopted in many countries. 



It cannot fail to be a matter of congratulation that the objects lent 

 by the Eoyal Society were not surpassed in scientific value or in 

 historic interest by those of any other institution or country, though 

 among these are the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers of Paris, and 



