Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

FROM NOVEMBER 18, 1859, TO NOVEMBER 16, 1860.

PHOA MEN

LIREARY

LONDON:

PUBLISHED FOR THE SOCIETY BY BELL AND DALDY, 186, FLEET-STREET.

1860.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY W. TROUNCE, CURSITOR-STREET, CHANCERY-LANE.

No. 365.

AND OF

THE INSTITUTIONS IN UNION.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1858.

Vol. VIII.

opinion, and receive their kind co-operation, I

Journal of the Society of Arts. may rely with some confidence that the interests

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1859.

COUNCIL.

The Conncil have elected Vice-Chancellor Sir William Page Wood as a Vice-President of the Society, in the place of the late Robert Stephenson, Esq., M.P.

FIRST ORDINARY MEETING.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1859. The first Ordinary Meeting of the One Hundred-and-Sixth Session was held on Wednesday, the 16th inst., Sir Thomas Phillips, F.G.S., Chairman of Council, in the chair. The following Institution has been taken into Union since the last announcement :

Darlington, Church of England Institute. The Chairman delivered the following

ADDRESS.

It appears to be a time-honoured custom of the Society that your Session should be opened by an address from the Chairman of the Council, in which he is required to acquaint the members with the policy which it is the design of the Council to pursue during the Session on which they have entered.

Notwithstanding the warning given by an eminent philosopher, that speakers should avoid prefaces, excuses, and apologies, which, though they seem to proceed from modesty, are often aigns of bravery, I would bespeak your indulgence, not alone for the present occasion, but during the continuance of my term of office,.ech trasting, as I must do, my limited experience is a member of Council as well as my imperfect acquaintance with those subjects of a scientific character which properly belong to the deliberations of the Society, with the valuable services and eminent qualifications of many of my predecessors. Guided, however, by the example of those who have preceded me in the chair, it shall be my constant endeavour to realise the designs of the Council, and whilst I retain their good

of the Society will suffer no detriment in my

person.

Although the period which has elapsed since the close of our last session is brief, we have to mourn the loss of men, who had shared the labours and extended the influence of the Society, and distinguished for the works they had achieved who were eminent for their scientific knowledge, and the reputation they had gained.

The first in order of time, as well as the senior in years, was Andrew Ross, distinguished by his contributions to optical science, and by the improvements which he introduced in the construction of telescopes, miscroscopes, and photographic lenses. Mr. Ross contributed to the Transactions of the Society, several papers of great merit connected with optical science, and his services, frequent and long continued, on Committees of the Society, were justly valued. For a paper on an improved method of dividing astronomical and mathematical instruments, and for his circular dividing engine, brought under the consideration of the Society, and published in the 48th volume of the Transactions, he received the Gold Isis Medal and 50 guineas; for improvements in achromatic objectives of microscopes, of which a full explanation may be found in the 51st and 52nd volumes of the Transactions, he again received the Gold Isis Medal; for his invention called the spherometer, mentioned in vol. 53 of the Transactions, he received a silver medal; and the thanks of the Society were given to Mr. Ross on several occasions.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel had inherited, from his distinguished father, a name illustrious for the successful application of scientific principles to the advancement of mechanical arts; and although the son's life was terminated at a comparatively early age, he had won for himself a reputation amongst the foremost men of a generation, remarkable-for the grandeur, the extent, and the importance of the works they have accomplished, and-for the genius and perseverance with which the resources of science have been employed in the triumph over natural obstacles.

Scarcely had the grave closed over Brunel, than we were called upon to mourn the loss of Robert Stephenson, one of our own Vice

relation to the subject was presented to the bers of the Society.

Presidents, the only surviving descendant of George Stephenson, that self-taught genius, whom we regard as the creator of the pre- The Council having bestowed on the que sent railway system, to the rapid growth of that grave deliberation at repeated me which the son has so largely contributed. which the importance of the subject des Carefully trained in the principles and prac- resolved, on the 14th April, 1858, that th tice of mechanical engineering, thoroughly ac-stitution of Decennial Exhibitions in Lo quainted with the problems to be solved by the for the purpose of showing the progress ma scientific engineer, as well as with the agencies industry and art during each period of ten placed at his disposal by modern art, Robert would tend greatly to the encourageme Stephenson joined to an accurate perception of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, and the the difficulties to be encountered in the practice first of those Exhibitions (which it was the of his profession, a patient discrimination in the tended to hold in 1861) should consist of selection of the means by which those difficulties selected for excellence, illustrating especiall could be best overcome. And if to those quali- progress of industry and art, arranged acco ties be added a judgment which rarely erred, to classes and not countries, and should com modesty in estimating his own powers, gene- music and painting. rosity in making known the merits of other men, The investigations of the Council led the thorough integrity of character, and a genial conclude that an International Exhibition in nature, which enlisted in his favour the sympa- would elicit even more valuable results than thies of every one within the circle of his ac- been achieved in 1851, if managed with quaintance, we can apprehend the causes of his same spirit and intelligence as its great pr success, and account for the absence, in his processor. I cannot bring before the present n fessional rivals, of those envious feelings which ing some of the considerations which influe are so often manifested towards men who largely the decision of the Council more forcibly succeed in the struggle for fame and fortune. by repeating language already employed He was taken from life in the vigour of his days, and his remains now rest by the side of one of those fathers of modern engineering, whose memory he loved to honour, within the walls of that noble abbey where are interred so many of England's mighty dead.

them:- Since 1851, commerce has bee extensively developed, not only at home with the colonies, but with foreign count that a knowledge of the productions of diffe nations has become everywhere a necessary of mercantile education. In manufactures t Other names are recalled to our recollec- have been numberless inventions and impr tion, on which I must not, however, long dwell. ments. Population and wealth have greatly Jacob Bell, the founder of the Pharmaceutical creased. In the metropolis alone, in 1 Society, will be honoured for his liberal encourage- 500,000 persons will have been added to ment of modern artists, and for the munificent population, and 700,000 persons, who bequest made by him to our National Gallery of several valuable examples of the British school of painting. Professor Henfrey, the distinguished botanical teacher, was a valued member of your Board of Examiners; and Hetherington Henry, a fellow of the Royal Society, and a skilful and experienced practical chemist of high reputation, possessed a knowledge of the resources of chemistry, when employed in the industrial arts, which obtained for him a large share of public confidence.

young in 1851, will have become adults. means and popular habits of locomotion been immensely extended at home and ab In England, railways have increased from 6 miles in 1851, to 9,000 in 1858; and rai travellers from 85 millions in 1851 to 148 lions in 1858. On the Continent the inc has been far greater. The desire to see, by seeing, to attain knowledge, coupled with love. of art, has received an extraordinary stim in all çiyilizef countries. The same influence The death of Stephenson having createtl be at work in 1861 as in 1851 to induce man vacancy in the list of Vice-Presidents, the Council has nominated Vice-Chancellor Sir William Page Wood to the vacant seat.

turers and inventors to exhibit their product Those who are insufficiently known, young, enterprising, will be foremost to meet the petition. Those who are better known and tablished will not be left behind."

The subject of International Exhibitions of works of industry and art, having been brought under the notice of the Council in the Session of It was not intended by the Society of 1858, received their careful consideration, and that the Exhibition of 1851 should be the la occupied much of their time in that as well as the well as the first International Exhibition of following Session; and in the address of my pre-dustry; but, on the contrary, as far back as 1 decessor at the beginning of the last Session, and in a letter addressed, on behalf of the Society in the Report of the Council presented at its close, his Royal Highness the President, to one of narrative of the proceedings of the Council in Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, it

« PreviousContinue »