1886 .] 
Chairman's Address. 
3 
of vital importance to the welfare of the Society are now forced on 
the consideration of the Council and Fellows : it is to some of these 
that I propose to refer this evening. 
The membership of the Society, including Foreign and Honorary 
Fellows, numbers at present 507, which is just about the strength 
of the Royal Society of London. The number of ordinary Fellows 
is, however, increasing at a somewhat rapid rate, and it is freely dis_ 
cussed, both among the Fellows and in the Council, whether the 
time has not arrived when only a limited number of Fellows should 
be elected each year ; — after the manner of the election to the 
fellowship of the Royal Society of London and some foreign 
societies. 
At present, when a candidate is proposed by four or more Fellows, 
the application remains for several weeks under the consideration of 
the Council, and thereafter, if the Council be of opinion that the 
candidate is likely to be a useful member of the Society, he is re- 
commended to the Fellows for election. It would be a mistake to 
suppose that all the names submitted to the Council are, as a matter 
of course, recommended for election ; it not unfrequently happens 
that names are withdrawn while under the consideration of the 
Council, and some never pass the Council. 
I have no hesitation in saying that I believe it would be a great 
mistake to depart from this method of election, which has worked 
so well in the past, and has secured as Fellows of the Society repre- 
sentative men of all social positions, and from every department of 
human activity and effort. 
Why should we seek to limit the membership ? Every energetic 
scientific man, and every man who is able and willing to assist in 
any way in the discovery of new facts, new principles, new pro- 
cesses, new knowledge, is a new strength to the Society, and should 
be welcomed. If thirty or forty such men become candidates in 
each year, let us have them all as Fellows ; the day has passed when 
it is possible to number the elect either in science or literature ! 
If we were to adopt the system of selecting a definite number from 
the candidates of each year — this means the placing of these can- 
didates in a sort of competition with each other for the vacancies, 
a most objectionable thing among grown-up men — we place a very 
disagreeable duty on the Council; — canvassing would arise; dis- 
