2 
Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. [sess. 
The Right Hon. Lord KELVIN, President, in the Chair. 
Chairman’s Opening Address. 
(Read December 6, 1897.) 
The President, on opening the Session, stated that — 
At the statutory meeting, held on 23rd November 1896, the 
President was appointed (with power to name a substitute) to 
represent the Society at the British Association Commission on a 
National Physical Laboratory. 
At a meeting of Council on 7th May last, the President and . Dr 
Murray were appointed members of the Consultation Committee in 
connection with the proposed Catalogue of Scientific Literature. 
At a meeting on 21st May 1897, Dr Murray, Dr Traquair, and 
Mr Cadell of Grange were appointed to represent the Society at 
the International Russian Congress at St Petersburg, and Prin- 
cipal Talmage was subsequently added to the above-mentioned 
representatives. 
Professor D’Arcy Thompson, a member of our Council, was 
reappointed a Commissioner to report on the aspects of the Seal 
Eishery in Behring’s Straits, and on its international relations. 
In consequence of a letter from Mr Wragge, requesting the 
Council to express an opinion as to the establishment of High and 
Low Level Meteorological Stations on and near Mount Wellington, 
New Zealand, in view of the establishment by the local autho- 
rities there of such Observatories, a Committee of our Council was 
appointed to consider the subject, and reported on the great im- 
portance of obtaining a fuller knowledge of the meteorology of the 
countries bordering on the Southern Ocean, and on the deficiencies 
that at present exist as regards Low Level Meteorological Stations 
to the south of the Argentine Republic, to the north of Cape 
Colony, and in the Islands of the Southern Ocean south of lati- 
tude 30°, to which may be added the observations that might be 
obtained through antarctic expeditions; and that these deficiencies 
