The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-01 00:00:00

SPITAL.

for the office which I hold. I trust they will allow
me, as a Scotchman, to entreat them to rally round the
best institution we have of the kind —(Cheers.) My
friend near me reminds me that when I advert to
the institution sending Scotchmen home, I should
also mention that about three hundred are relieved a
month as casual poor.—(Hear, hear.) Now, gentle-
men, I have said that I have had some expe-
rience of the poor of this metropolis; and
though not here to make harsh observations or
comparisons with respect to any country, yet I
cannot help remarking that but few Scotchmen apply
for relief.—(Hear.) I remember being present on
an interesting occasion at a public dinner, and mak-
ing mention of the power of foreign countries, of the
magnificent wealth of our own, of her immense
commerce, which is wafted to every shore, and of the
vast importance and greatness of London, but
I added, if you ask me what does Lon-
don most honour, I would tell you that
it is her charitable institutions.—(Loud cheers.)
Now, gentlemen, what charitable institution is more
deserving of support than the Scottish Hospital.—
(Hear, hear.) We know there are many Scotchmen
in London, and therefore do not let it be said that
the only institution in London, peculiarly Scotch,
wants any lack of support.—(Hear, hear.) lam glad,
however, to say, that we are not solely indebted to
Scotchmen for support, because I know that many of
our friends who have no connexion with Scotland
have come forward to support it.—(Hear, hear.)
Scotchmen, we all know, have the greatest disincli-
nation to receive charity, and that they never accept
it except when driven to do so by stern necessity.
rhe distress you are called to relieve, is, therefore,
of the most urgent and of the most necessitous kind.

THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

THE RESIGNATION OF THE MARQUIS OF

NORTHAMPTON AS PRESIDENT. -
Yesterday being St. Andrew's Day, the anniversary
of this society was held, for the purpose of electing a
council and officers for the ensuing year, at the apart-
ments of the society, at Somerset-house.
There was a very numerous attendance, caused by the
retirement of the Marquis of Northampton, who has
filled the presidential chair since November, 1838, whets
We succeeded to that honourable distinction on the re-
tirement of his late Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex;
and also the retirement of the respected secretary, Dr.
Peter Mark Roget, who has discharged the functions of
his office in the council for a period of twenty years.
At two o'clock the Fellows began to congregate, the
Noble President being amongst the earliest arrivals; and
the Earl of Rosse, who ...as proposed as the Noble
Marquis's successor, was also present.
The following were elected as the officers and Council
of the society for the ensuing year:—President, the
Earl of Rosse; treasurer and vice-president, Mr. George
Rennie; secretaries, Messrs. Ssinuel Hunter, Christie,
and Thomas Bell; foreign secretary, Lieutenant• Colonel
Edward Sabine, R.A., Peter M. Roget, M.D., the Mar-
quis of Northampton, George Biddell Airey, M.A., Sir
James Clark, Bart., M.D., J. P. Gassiot, Thomas
Graham, M.A., Leonard Horner, Sir Robert H. Inglis,
Bart. LL.D., John George Shaw Lefevre, M.A., Sir
Charles Lyell, M.A., William. Allen Miller, M.D.,
Richard Owen, John Phillips, the Dean of Westminster,
and Charles Wheatstone. _ _ _

On the publication of this list great dissatisfaction
was expressed by many of the Fellows that, although
Dr. Roget, who had resigned the secretaryship, was a
physiologist, and, as such, a representative of the na-
tural history sciences, Mr. Grove, whom the council
proposed to succeed him, was principally known for his
researches in physical science. It was stated that the
proposed list would constitute the " executive officers of
the society entirely of cultivators of physical science,
leaving the natural sciences without an officer capable of
abstracting an anatomical, physiological, or natural his-
tory paper, or of giving an opinion on its merits." The
dissatisfaction thus expressed was increased when the
following facts became known:—
" At a meeting of the committee of zoology and ani-
mal physiology of the Royal Society, held July 4, 1848,
the following resolution was moved by Professor Owen,
seconded by Mr. Gray, and unanimously agreed to:—
" That the committee taking into consideration the
large proportion of papers communicated to the Royal
Society on subjects of anatomy, physiology, and other
branches of natural history, and the loss which the so-
ciety is about to sustain by the retirement of a secretary
eminent for his acquaintance with those sciences, beg
respectfully to request the attention of the council to
the advantage and desirableness of having one of the
secretaries conversant with those branches of knowledge.
Resolved, That the secretary be instructed to communi-
cate the above resolution to the council."
" This resolution of the physiological committee hav-
ing been duly communicated to the council, it was pro-
posed
Thatrs3o,7,i
vot
yuMtwro.hrGrove
han electionbae
amendment
ncs
do
mm secretaryemn recommended n
was
s by the
in council by Sir Charles Lyell, and seconded by
Mn e
xr t
councilGa anniversary;'
snt soi i
roett
moved
tovthede
by Mr. Brown, and seconded by Dr. Roget—' That Mr.
Thomas Bell be recommended as secretary,' which
amendment being negatived, the original motion was
then put and carried."
Under these circumstances a few of the Fellows formed
a committee for the purpose of securing, if possible, the
election of Mr. Thomas Bell to the vacant secretaryship.
In the " Statement of Facts" published by this commit-
tee, they also stated that they considered the election of
a naturalist to the vacant office the more necessary, as it
will be seen that in the new council as proposed by the
present one, there is a most unequal apportionment of the
members to the respective sciences which are supposed
to be represented in that body; there being eight mem-
bers to represent the physical sciences, five geologists,
and two chemists; while there is but one for compara-
tive anatomy, one fur physiology, and one for zoology,
and not one representative of botany. Thus, of the
whole council of twenty•one members, three only repre-
sent the natural sciences. This state of things will ac-
count for the very large meeting of yesterday.
At four o'clock the Marquis of Northampton took the
chair, and called upon Professor Owen to read the re-
sult of the audit of the treasurer's accounts, when it
ap-
peared that the income of the society during the past
year, was 3,3031. 12e. 3d., including a balance of
6361. Ils. 3d. in the hands of the treasurer at the last
audit. The expenditure had been 2,8181. 19s. 2d., leav-
ing in the treasurer's hands a balance of 484/. 13s ld.
Of the receipts, 1,1221. 16s. were for annual contribu-
tions, being a larger sum than has ever been previously
received by the society. The rest of the receipts is de-
rived from estates possessed by the society, and from
14,0001. Reduced Three per Cent. Annuities, and
18,4111. 1 ls. 9d. Consolidated Bank Annuities. Of
the expenditure, 8251. was spent in the purchase of
1,000/. Consols. After the statement of accounts had
been laid before the meeting, the Marquis of
Northampton delivered a short address, on the occa-
sion of his Presidency over the society for the last
time. He thanked the Fellows for the great kindness
and forbearance they had exhibited towards him as long
as he had occupied the chair. He felt that his scien-
tific merits were not equal to the position, but he would
yield to none—not even to the Noble iord who was
about to succeed him—in the interest he had taken,
and should still continue to take, in the welfare of the
society.
The PRESIDENT then proceeded to award the medals
of the society. The first royal medal was awarded to
Mr. Galloway, for his paper on the movements of the
physical universe in space; the second was awarded to
Professor Ilargreavea, of University College, for his
paper on the solution of lineal differential equations.
The Copley medal was presented to Mr. Adams, for his
astronomical labours in connexion with the discovery of
the planet Neptune. The Rumford medal was received
by Colonel Sabine for Monsieur Reginault, for his la.
bours in connexion with the elasticity of vapours at dif-
ferent degrees of t,mperature.
The SECRETARY (Dr. Roget) read, instead of the
usual lengthened notice, merely a list of the Fellows who
had died during the past year. The number of deaths
was twenty-one, whilst the number of admissions was
sixteen. The total number of members in November,
1847, was 821 ; in November, 1848, but 814.
The PRESIDENT announced that in order to facilitate
the voting, balloting papers, containing the cross list,
proposed by Mr. Ball's friends, had been prepared. This
led to some discussion, in which Sir Henry de la Bache
and Mr. Leonard Homer took part.
Sir C. LYELL then rose to explain the circumstances
that led the council to fix on Mr. Grove as secretary.
They had first proposed that Professor Edward Forbes
or Professor Owen should take this office, on account of
their wish that it should be occupied by a naturalist;
but as these gentlemen could not take the office, it was
considered, on account of the known business habits of
Mr. Grove, his scientific position, and the zeal and
earnestness with which he had advocated the various re-
forms which had recently taken place in the society, that
he would be the most eligible candidate to put forward.
Sir Charles was proceeding to meet the objections raised
to Mr. Grove as secretary, when loud cries of " time"
and " the ballot" compelled him to desist.
Mr. WHARTON JONES observed that' Mr. Bell was not
a physiologist, but a zoologist.
The PRESIDENT having appointed Dr. Royle and Mr.
John James Bennett scrutators, the collecting the ballot-
ing papers and examining them commenced.
During this process, Sir R. H. INGLIS proposed, and
Mr. BROUGITON seconded, a vote of thanks to the Mar-
quis of Northampton, for the manner in which he had
tilled the chair of the society for a period of ten years.
Dr. PARIS, President of the College of Physicians, pro-
posed, and Mr. W. TOOKE seconded, a vote of thanks to
Dr. Roget, for his services as secretary during a period
of twenty years.
The examination of the balloting papers took an un-
usual
tlhenegirthreopfortitm,
council, proposed by the council, were elected,. w
whene. Ai
it appearedhaif-pass seven
that thet
in whose place
Mr. Bell was elected.
exception of Mr. Grove,
Ttobbeevseetcerse
secretary, in
three secreta-
ries were as follows:—For Mr. Christie, 215; for Mr.
Bell, 134; for Mr. Grove, 108.
Thanks having been moved to the scrutators, the meet..
Ing adjourned.

NATIONAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.--Yesterday
morning a general meeting of the governors and sub-
scribers to this institution, which was established in
1312 by the late P. Herve, for granting pensions to aged
tators, governesses, artists, and other worthy but dis-
tressed members of the middle class of society of wha
ever country or persuasion, was held at the Freemason:'
Earl Tavern, Great Queen-street; the Right 13u
lam in the chair. The report for the resenu. Eat yearr
sleortt.
wa
the
account theut
increasing
ifnogr
ad d
ition continued
al
subscriptions prosperityofthe
on snciept but
number of applicants for its bounty. At Christmas,
1847, the number of persons
of receiving pensions of 201.
and 301. a year each was 234,
agewbilmg wareupwards
rd s mofal7e;
females,and 218 their average
years. Since the foundation of th esociety 122 members
of the middle classes had been maintained, and the sum
of 114,5951. 198. Id. had been disbursed in pensions. The
total receipts during the year ending 30th September
last, including a former balance, amounted to 9,3431.
38. 10(1., and the disbursements (comprising 5,0361. 16s.
distributed in pensions, 2,074/. 19s. sd. in purchase of
funded property, and 835/. 15s. 4d. to general expenses)
to 7,9471. 10s. 9d., leaving a balance of 1,395/. 13s. Id.
On the motion of the Rev. Thomas Dale, of St. Pancras,
seconded by Mr. John Fish Pownall, the report was
unanimously adopted. Resolutions of thanks to the Royal
F amity, nobility, and others for their support, having
been likewise agreed to, the meeting adjourned, and the
subscribers then proceeded to the election of 22 pen-
sioners upon the funds of the institution.
LONDON AND MIDDLESEX COMMITTEES IN FAVOUR
OF MR. DENlsON.—Yesterday tv eting of the members
of the bar favourable to Mr. Denison as candidate fur the
representation of the West Riding of Yorkshire was
held in the Temple, when a committee of the gentlemen
present was formLfl to promote his election. The
greatest enthusiasm provalled in favour of the Hon.

Candidate, and among those who have taken the most
active part in this movement are several Learned Gen-
tlemen remarkable for their attachment to Whig prin-
ciples. It was stated, as the result of careful inquiry,
that out of about ISO gentlemen in the Temple possess-
ing the electoral qualification for the West Riding, up-
wards of 160 were decidedly in favour of Mr. Denison,
and had pledged themselves to vote for him on the day
of election. A committee to promote the election of
Mr. Denison is also in the course of formation for the
county of Middlesex, in which there are a large number
of persons who have votes for the West Riding.
The early Saxons punished adultery by burning.
the female, erecting a gibbet over her ashes, and hang—
ing thereon her paramour. Now-a-days the crime is
only punishable by law—in money.