ORDINARY MEETING, February 21, 1881. 
H. Cadman Jones, Esq., in the Chair. 
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed, and the 
following elections were announced : — 
Members H. J. Sanderson, Esq., M.D., London ; Rev. T. Taylor, 
South Africa. 
Associates: — Rev. W. F. Edwin, King’s Lynn ; Rev. J. Fordyce, M.A., 
Great Grimsby. 
Also the presentation of the following works for the library : 
“ Proceedings of the Royal Society.” From the same. 
“ Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society.” Ditto. 
Also Pamphlets from the Bev. J. H. Barker, M.A., and the Bev. C. B. 
Brig sto clce, M.A. 
The following papers were then read : — 
WE AT ARE SCIENTIFIC FACTS ?* By J. E. Howard, 
Esq., F.R.S. F.L.S., &c. Being a Reply to W. Pen- 
gelly. Esq., F.R.S., in a Paper read before the Institute, 
January 3rd, 1881. 
T HIS question occurs as a suitable introduction to some 
observations to which I beg to call the attention of the 
Institute, in reference to my paper on “ The Caves of Devon. ^ 
These Caverns have been claimed as furnishing proof of an an- 
tiquity of immense (and, I may add, incredible) length for the 
race of man on the earth. Such proof is supposed to be 
afforded by Scientific Facts ; established as such by reiterated 
assertion on the part of some men of science — of course, all 
honourable men ; and yet it appears desirable, in the interests 
of truth, that their statements should be subjected to a sifting 
process— such as might take place in our higher law courts — 
* Remarks supplementary to a paper on the Caves of South Devon. 
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