New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-24
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.
IT'S APPROACHING MEETING AT MONTREAL
HISTORY or THE ORGANIlArloN-Irs WORN
M IF


Movrnr,l. Aug ls-The British Association for
The Advancement Of Science was organized in 1881.
In the CITY of York England. Societies already cX-
listed composed of Investigators in single branches
of science but there et to be room still for an
association which should have all science for its
field aud should enlist the efforts of all who desired
10 promote its advance The leading spirits of the
new organization were Sir navd Brewster, Pro-
feSsor John Phillips. and W. Vernon llarcourt and
the Earl Fgwilliam was elected it's first pres dent
The paragraph ombodyug the objects of the As
ISOLATION still stands IN the form IN which 1T was
drawn up IN 1891. 1t isas follows:
The association contcmpntcs no interference WI
the ground occupied 10y other institutions us 90
jects are /" give - stronger lnPul,Fn an" "
more systematic direction 10 sctntluc n
quny, to promote the intercourse OF iho,o VINO
cultivate aCicucc ~ different parts ol iW' hl,lHh
Empire with one Am 1thct AMI W.T. ul''Hn PnH'H'
pliers to obtain u more general attention 10 th'
ohio A. ol n,rncc, and removal of any dundVnh
taeca oi u pablo Kind which impede ila nt"Ricsa
Tho Association was u huoccea from the start 3'3
peraons took part In the htst meeting, ana II now
has over 1900 mombois. among whom all the bit
ish hcloutlbts of note are To bc found There nrr
several hundred ludcs present at each meeting
many at them being members. In addition to the
usual classes of life mcmhors. annual subscribers
and corresponding members living IN othcr cuun-
tries the British Association admits Associates for
the year, who on payment of Fl each become en-
titled 10 all the privileges of The Association during
one meeting, but may not hold Office OF serve on
oommittccs. Each year many citizens OF tic place
OF meeting avail themselves of this opportunity
and the from this source form the largest item
OF the trcasurers receipts. This year ladies and
gen item, residing ON the continent OF America
may become Associates.
Tho Association holds one meeting of week or
more each year, and has never held two meetings
IN my ouo placc less than Ncarh apaIt. There
IL an eager competition among the ct ~ Of the
United Kingdom for the honor Of being the meet
ing place of the Association. Invitations are sent
years ia advance. and all the inducements that the
most generous hospitality can suggest are offered
Banqnets, receptions and excursions ale gwen by
the municipality during the time of the meeting,
private citizens throw open their houses TO the
nonOrcl guests. and nOblcmcn having estates III the
vicinity entertain parties of a hundred IN the most
snnlptuous manner. In the course OF its wander
ings the Association has met several times III Scotch
and lr,sh cities and twice at Swansea in Wales 1t
has met three times in Liverpool. but never in
London La 1881 it held its " Jubilee meeting, or
ffteth anniversary. returning to York, the place of
it, birth. The meeting this year IN Montreal viii be
She first held IN of the colonies
In the intervals bet ween meetings the affairs of
the Association managed 10y Council. Com
muncations are received at the Office OF the AsSocl
alton. 30 22 Albcmarlc.st., London. w. by the
permanent secretary, the Rev. Thomas G. Bonncy,
FIR s.. who is Professor of Geology in University
College, London.
WORK OF THE ASSOCIATION.
The work of the Association is in brief The reading
and publication of papers recording advances in
science. the selection of definite points Of research
90 which individual or combined eNertion may be
usefully directed the appointment of committees
10 execute such researches. aud the providing Of
money for tho work. either from ts own treasury
or by appeal 60 Government Or other sources. The
Association itself contributes each year for these
Searches about u Thousand pounds. Some Of the
suhjcris investigated under It's direction are the
strength Of east aud wrought iron aud other ma
tofinls. British fossil fishes tid'e. earthquake
shocks. the vitality Of scods, the performance 81
steamships. balloon navigation. cltrlticnl ftpnd.
ards underground tcmpcrniutca the movement Of
underground waters, and Hutbi rainfall III" Rro.
Logical (Orlnnnccl survey of England md Nnlcs.
nov completed, originated with lhc ~ tlrh As.pcIn-
zion, and committee has recently been pointed,
with % grant OF money o. prepare geological map
OF Europe
The meetings Of the Asociation coutuLutr to
the advancement of science u another II less direct
no les. raj way. They bring together cu'tiyator
Of the same branch of science from different parts
of the Kingdom. giving them opportunities for the
exchange Ot IDEAS ana liIluonhihE hl Nl'NN ANU W.
making plans of co-opcrltiom Thcy bring together.
also. cultiyators of different branches, ANA show
them hp,, much they have ia common, thus cuili-
vatur a powerful Esprit da corps winch produces It's
encct uu the wor, ol every iud.' ldudI Ihe phase
OF Il, work was 3loquoutN stated 10y Su JuIh j.
W. licischol IN hs addrr.s as President OF tie As.
socia,,on M 1919. He SAID:
Lr selfish iutcrc.ts)hidc tine worldly lei ical.
ousIrs tolmcut the "nNou'i We breathe putrt ,n
pyrcan. The common pursuit of NUN Is ol u'cIl "a
brotherhood. In these meetings We H3N'' N'ul''
OF dcIght which draws us together, aud h.plt'a ms
with "a SENSE of unity. Ih1t aHti"nom''o should
cOugrC. ate 10 talk OF stars ana uth'lNt th'lu'lH,
OF atoms; gcologi~ts Of strata, is natural cu"u2;
but what Is there equally prrvdlmL all, winch
cau,re a. cir hearts 10 burn within them for mutual
unbusomh4i surely the answer 0l each ana all,
the H>tiouoWrL tie IhNs"iotNt thc c'''li!tMh
the biologist the Eeol"el~l, al with one accord diu
each IN the language Of his own science, Wodld
ausvor not only the wonderful works "l Nod ana
the dri.ht then disclosure affords but the PITY
lege hc feels 10 have aiued IN tie disclosure We
iutLer led 10 look onward tbI "nGh tc vista o.
time with Clastcned assurance that science has SUI
other and uobler work u 40 than any she has yet
attempted.
OFFICERS.
Tie presidency Of the British Assocat.on.is one Of
Che highest honors IN the gift OF any learned society
Eao b president prcs.dcs at one meeting, and among
tho{c who have held the Office are Dr. Whewcll. the
Earl of Rose Sir Rodcrck 1. Murchison, g. IT,
Airy. the Duke of Argyle H. T. II. the Prince
Cousort Sir Charles Lycll, Dr. Grove Sir
William Thomson. Or. Spottlswoode and d. {.
W Sicinens. The president for ! So Is the sht
Honorable Lord Raylcgh John William SuutU.
He was graduated at Cambridge in 1860 with the
honor of a Senior Wraugier and first Smiths prize
man married IN 1871 a daughter OF James NJ.
Balfour and succeeded TO his fathers title IN
1873 Lord Raylcsh Is now forty-t"O years old he
has a wcll-built frame and Gne features. He is Pro-
fessor of Exp rmcntal Physics at Cambridge Uni
yersy. and Fellow OF Trinity COLLEGE; ne Is also
o Fellow Of the Royal Society and the author OF
numerous scientific papers, and of an important