Jan. 19.-PROFESSOR TYNDALL-On Radiation and Absorption, 23.-WILLIAM PENGELLY, Esq.-On Kent's Cavern, March 2.-G. SCHARF, Esq.-On Portraiture: its Fallacies and 18. THE REV. C. PRITCHARD-On the Telescope, its Modern Form, and the Difficulties of its Con- struction 25.—AlexandeR HERSCHEL, Esq.-On the Shooting Stars of the Years 1865-6, and on the Probability of Royal Institution of Great Britain. 1862. GENERAL MONTHLY MEETING, Monday, December 1, 1862. WILLIAM POLE, Esq. M.A. F.R.S. Treasurer and Vice-President, in the Chair. George Berkely, Esq. Michael Smith, Esq. John Ware Stephenson, Esq. and Major Henry Strachey, were elected Members of the Royal Institution. August F. Andresen, Esq. and were admitted Members of the Royal Institution. Sir RODERICK I. MURCHISON, D.C.L. F.R.S., was elected a Manager, in the room of Sir B. C. BRODIE, Bart., deceased. The PRESENTS received since the last Meeting were laid on the table, and the thanks of the Members returned for the same: viz.— FROM Secretary for War (through Sir H. James, the Editor)-Abstracts of the Meteorological Observations taken at the Stations of the Royal Engineers, 1860-61. 4to. 1862. American Academy of Arts and Sciences-Memoirs, Vol. VIII. Part 1. 4to. 1861. Proceedings, Vol. V. Nos. 31-48. 8vo. 1861-42. American Philosophical Society-Proceedings, Nos. 62, 64, 65. 8vo. 1859-62. Boston Society of Natural History, U.S.-Proceedings, Vol. VIII. Nos. 5-20; Vol. IX. Nos. 1-3. 8vo. 1861-2. Brande, William Thomas, Esq. F.R.S.-Chemistry. By W. T. Brande and A. S. Taylor. 16to. 1863. Chemical Society--Journal, No. 67. 8vo. 1862. Cheney, T. A. Esq.-Report on the New York State Cabinet of Natural History and Antiquities. 8vo. 1860. Editors (continued)—Journal of Gas-Lighting for November, 1862. 4to. Medical Circular for November, 1862. 8vo. 8vo. Practical Mechanics' Journal for November, 1862. 4to. 1862. 8vo. 1862. Franklin Institute of Pennsylvania-Journal, No. 442. 8vo. 8vo. 1862. 1861-2. Held, Joseph, Ph.D. LL.D. (the Author)—Staat und Gesellschaft. Band I. 8vo. Leipzig, 1861. Liverpool Literary and Philosophical Society-Proceedings, No. 16. 8vo. 1862. Medical and Chirurgical Society, Royal-Medico-Chirurgical Transactions. Vol. XLV. 8vo. 1862. Newton, Messrs.-London Journal (New Series) for November, 1862. 8vo. 8vo. 1861-2. Petermann, A. Esq. (the Editor)—Mittheilungen aus dem Gesammtgebiete der Geographie. No. 10. 4to. 1862. Photographic Society-Journal, No. 127. 8vo. 1862. Royal Society of Edinburgh-Transactions, Vol. XXIII. Part 1. 4to. 1861-2. Proceedings, Nos. 56-58. 8vo. 1861-2. Royal Society of Literature-Transactions, Vol. VII. Part 2. 8vo. 1862. Results of Meteorological Observations, 1854-9. Vol. I. 4to. 1861. St. Petersburg Imperial Academy of Sciences-Mémoires, Tome IV. Nos. 1-9. 4to. 1861-2. Bulletins, Tome IV. Nos. 11-14. 4to. 1861-2. Tylor, Alfred, Esq. M.R.I.-Tylor, Edward B.: Anahuac; or, Mexico and the Mexicans. 8vo. 1861. Vereins zur Beförderung des Gewerbfleisses in Preussen-Verhandlungen, Juli und Aug. 1862. 4to. Wiener, M. Charles, Statuaire et Medalleur de S. M. le Roi des Pays-Bas— Medallion of the Prince Consort. 1863. SPECIAL MEETING OF THE MEMBERS, WILLIAM POLE, Esq. M.A. F.R.S. Trseaurer and Vice-President, in the Chair. The Chairman stated, that the Managers, desirous that His Royal Highness the PRINCE OF WALES should become an Honorary Member and the Vice - Patron of the Institution, had requested Professor Faraday to communicate with His Royal Highness on the subject, which had been done by him in the following terms :— 66 "ROYAL INSTITUTION, 5th January, 1863. "TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES. May it please Your Royal Highness, "The President, Secretary, and Managers, remembering the great grace which was done to the body, when the late Vice-Patron, His Royal Highness the Prince Consort, with yourself and the Prince your brother, favoured our Lectures with your presence, have requested me to express the hope they entertain, that Your Royal Highness will allow of your election into the position then filled by your admirable and much-loved Father. It is because I had the honour of speaking at that time in your presence, that the authorities here think I may not be unacceptable as the channel through which their earnest desire may be made known. Our most honoured Queen is our Patron; and that we may have your Royal Highness as Her and our Vice-Patron is the most earnest wish of our hearts. Remembering the past, we hope for this great grace for the future. "With the deepest feelings of respect, I venture to sign myself, "Your Royal Highness's faithful servant, "M. FARADAY.” The Chairman further stated, that the following reply had been received from Lieut.-General Knollys, Comptroller of the Household and Treasurer to the Prince of Wales : "DEAR SIR, "SANDRINGHAM, 9th January, 1863. "I am directed by the Prince of Wales to acknowledge the receipt of your Letter, conveying the request of the authorities of the Royal Institution that His Royal Highness would allow Himself to be elected as its Vice-Patron, in the room of His lamented Father. "His Royal Highness has desired me to say, that it will be a great gratification to Him, to fill so distinguished a post, and to occupy a position filled by that beloved Parent, however unequal His Royal Highness may feel to take His place. It will be no less satisfactory to Him to be in any way associated with the interests of Science. And His Royal Highness has commanded me particularly to assure you of the peculiar pleasure it will give Him to meet you again, where He has listened to you before, and derived so much instruction from your Lectures. "I have the honour to remain, dear Sir, very truly yours, "M. FARADAY, Esq." "W. KNOLLYS. Whereupon H.R.H. the PRINCE OF WALES was proposed, and unanimously elected Honorary Member, and then, by acclamation, was elected the Vice-Patron of the Royal Institution. |