2 
Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. 
SESS. 
Professor Sir DOUGLAS MACLAGAN, President, 
in the Chair. 
Chairman’s Opening Address. 
(Read December 5, 1892.) 
Since we last assembled here, and shortly after the last meeting of 
the session, the British Association met in our city. Though the 
first meeting of that body was held at York, yet the proposals and 
counsels which called it into existence, and led to its organisation, 
emanated from Edinburgh. It originated, in fact, from the sugges- 
tions of a distinguished former President of this Society, Sir David 
Brewster (then Dr Brewster), aided principally by two former secre- 
taries of the Society, Professor Forbes and Sir John Eobison. This 
was acknowledged by the Vice-Chairman of the first meeting at 
York, who stated in the opening address, “the meeting owes its 
origin to some distinguished cultivators of science here present,” 
being “ proposed by Dr Brewster to the Yorkshire Philosophical 
Society. The proposal received the most zealous and effective sup- 
port from Mr Forbes, Mr Eobison, and Mr Johnston in Edinburgh, 
and from Mr Murchison in London.” 
The first visit of the Association to Edinburgh was in 1834, the 
fourth year of its existence. The President of that meeting was our 
former President, Sir Thomas Macdougall Brisbane ; Sir David 
Brewster was a Vice-President, and Professor Forbes and Sir 
John Eobison were the local secretaries. At this meeting the 
first grant for scientific purposes was made, and amounted only 
to £20. 
In 1850 the Association again visited Edinburgh. Sir David 
Brewster was President on that occasion. £346 was allowed for 
scientific purposes. 
In 1871 the Association met for the third time in Edinburgh, 
under the Presidency of Sir William Thomson, now Lord Kelvin. 
The membership on that occasion was 2463, while the grants for 
scientific purposes amounted to £1472. 
