SIR JOSEPH BANKS. 
162 
Society for communication of his discovery is because when on a visit 
to England in 1782 he had made the acquaintance of Sir Joseph Banks, 
who showed him a good deal of attention. This discovery gave rise 
to others, which eventually led him, in 1800, to invent what is now 
called the Voltaic pile or compound Galvanic circle. The paper com- 
immicating this invention was also sent to the Koyal Society, and is 
printed in the 90th volume of the Transactions, in the form of two 
letters to Sir Joseph Banks.* * * § 
In 1794, Volta was awarded the Copley Medal of the Royal Society, 
and Sir Joseph Banks made the presentation at the anniversary of 
that year, and referred to the discoveries in his address. 
In 1796 Count Rumford wrote to Sir Joseph Banks offering the 
Royal Society £1,000 to found a biennial prize for discoveries on heat 
and light, and the correspondence on the subject is quoted by Weld.f 
It is interesting to learn that the first meeting for founding the 
Royal Institution, which has done so much for diffusing a knowledge 
of science, was held at the house of Sir Joseph Banks, on 9th March, 
1799, and this noble institution was incorporated on the 13th March 
following. 
In his anniversary address in 1809, referring to the formation of the 
Society of Animal Chemistry, Sir Joseph Banks gave his viewsj as to 
the establishment of Societies other than the Royal Society. 
Earlier in the same year we find Sir Joseph Banks taking action, 
with others, with the view to promulgate a “ Plan for consohdating the 
Geological with the Royal Society as an Assistant Society. ”§ The 
geologists preferred to have an independent Society, doubtless to the 
advantage of science. Sir Joseph Banks’ views show that he had 
very lofty ideals of the functions of the Royal Society, and throughout 
his long Presidency we have abundant evidence of his whole-hearted 
devotion to the interests of the Royal Society, and of science in 
general. 
In 1816 we find that he was a member of a Committee “ to consider 
of the proper means of ascertaining the length of a pendulum vibrating 
seconds in the latitude of London.” 
In 1819 he was appointed member of a Commission of Inquiry, 
with the view of establishing and preserving a uniform system of 
weights and measures. 
Turning to the various pendulum experiments with the view of 
determining the figure of the earth, reference may be made to the 
very handsome manner in which M. Biot speaks of the courtesy and 
kindness which he experienced from Sir Joseph Banks and other 
Fellows of the Royal Society when he visited Britain with the 
• Weld, 11 , 202. 
t Op. cU.^ 214, &c 
X Op. cii.y 242. 
§ Op. cit., 246. 
