498 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. [Sess. 
they never gripped his mind — chiefly, as he expressed it, because they did 
not fall in line with the general symmetrical methods of modern analysis 
which specially appealed to him. Chrystal and Tait were at one in their 
love for physical investigation, and both were able to utilise to the full their 
mastery of mathematical symbolism. 
I have heard Tait express the hope that when he retired from 
the chair of Natural Philosophy Chrystal would be his successor; but 
when the time of retirement came the situation had altered. Had it been 
Chrystal’s fortune early in his professorial career to have had official 
control of a physical laboratory, he would certainly have founded a strong 
experimental school. 
On Tait’s death in 1901, our Society, looking around for a General 
Secretary, naturally turned their eyes to Chrystal, whose administrative 
powers and driving force had become widely recognised. It is not necessary 
again to speak at length of the exceptional ability shown by Chrystal in 
carrying on the work of the Royal Society. It seems important, however, 
to bring to light the valuable work he did in connection with the change 
of abode from the Royal Institution in Princes Street to the present location 
in George Street. 
It had been apparent for many years that the west wing of the Royal 
Institution, which had been assigned to the Royal Society from the beginning,, 
was becoming far too limited to accommodate the growing activities of the 
Society. Accordingly in 1903, largely through the initiative of Sir John 
Murray, a scheme was set on foot for securing for science the whole of the 
budding. The Royal Society would have thus been able to find accom- 
modation for its invaluable library, and other scientific societies might have 
found shelter under the same roof. A representative committee was 
formed, and the Secretary for Scotland approached on the subject. Mr 
Graham Murray, now Lord Dunedin, met the deputation, and spoke very 
sympathetically in favour of the movement. The difficulty was how to 
provide accommodation for the schools of art which occupied other parts 
of the building. 
Meanwhile the Liberal Government came into power; and one of its 
earliest acts was to introduce a Bill handing over to a specially appointed 
board the whole of the building for the purposes of art. There was at 
first no provision in this Bill for securing in any way the vested rights of 
the Royal Society of Edinburgh. The situation demanded supreme vigi- 
lance ; and fortunately in the person of the General Secretary we possessed 
the very man for the emergency. As early as 1885, in his British Associa- 
tion address already quoted from, Chrystal, who at that time had had no 
