1885.J 



President's Address. 



283 



our scientific brethren in the United States and in our Colonies I do 

 not know : I make it public, on my own responsibility, for your and 

 their consideration. 



I am anxious to call the attention of the Fellows to an alteration in 

 our rules* in virtue of which it is hoped that the valuable library of 

 the Society will be made more extensively useful to them by being 

 accessible up to a later hour than heretofore, and by better provision 

 for the comfort and convenience of those who desire to read or write 

 in the Society's rooms. 



The funds of the Society have been augmented in various ways 

 during the past year. 



A few weeks ago, our distinguished colleague Sir William Armstrong 

 wrote to me proposing to make a very handsome, indeed, I may say, 

 munificent contribution to our finances. The precise form which the 

 gift should take was left open to discussion, and it was only at the 

 meeting of Council to-day that the matter was finally settled by the 

 letter addressed to me, on behalf of Sir W. Armstrong, by Captain 

 Noble, which I proceed to read to the Society : — 



"Referring to the communications which have passed between 

 yourself and Sir W. Armstrong with regard to a proposed gift by 

 Sir William to the Society, I have had some discussion with Sir 

 W. Armstrong as to the form which his proposed donation should 

 take. 



" Sir W. Armstrong is very anxious that the Scientific Relief Fund 

 Trust should be raised from £7,600, the amount at which I think it 

 now stands, to £20,000, and he has authorised me to say that if the 

 Fellows, with the assistance if necessary of other friends of science 

 outside of the Society, see their way to raise £6,500, he will himself 

 give a second £6,500, thus making up the desired sum. 



" The only condition, or rather request, that he makes in connexion 

 with this gift is that, in the event of any Fellow being in such circum- 

 stances as to make the payment of his subscription burdensome to 

 him, the Council for the time being will order the payment of such 

 subscription out of the income arising from the Relief Fund." 



The President and Council have accepted Sir William Armstrong's 

 generous gift, and have offered him their hearty thanks for it ; they 

 have already been promised contributions by other Fellows of the 

 Society, and they trust that there will be no difficulty in making up 

 the sum required. 



The value of the fee for the Croonian Lecture has been increased 

 from £2 18s. 9d. to about £50 a-year, by the falling in of certain 

 leases. 



Allusion was made in the Treasurer's Address last year to the 



