Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-08-09
scIrhrlrlc 4 rsraaon.
The Recent Annual Meeting OF the
Victory Institute in LondOn--An In-
tarastinr aud Nntabie Event.

was presided over by Sir George Stokes, |
Bart, +. II. s., ex.president of the Royal |
Society and now president OF the insti.
tutc in question. Many Home, Colonial
and American members attended, and |
although the day was most unpleasantly |
rainy, the large hall of the Society OF
Arts, in which the meeting was held,
was full to OVERCOMING
Letters were received from the follow
ing members expressing their inability
to be present: Lord Kelvin, president
Of the Royal Society; DIR. Smith, the
Primate Of New South Wales; the
Bishop of Caledonia, Bishop Hale OF
Cairo, U. s. A., Professors Sayce and
| Prestwich, the past president CT the
Geological Society, and some others.
The annual address was given by
Professor Duns, f. r.. S. E., of Edin.
burgh, the subject being Archaeology
and Anthropology especially us con-
nected with Folklore, and more par.
ticularly Stone Folklore. Ut was read
by the Rev. r. +. Mcleod, the author
being unavoidably absent.) DIR. Duus
commenced by explaining the reasons
for selecting such a subject as Stone
FOLKLORE, one apparently of little I'M
portance; yet as Folklore was now
being ranked with AnthrOpoogy, and
Stone Folklore was Il branch the study
of which threw some light on many
facts in the historical records of the
world, it seemed desirable he should
give the results of his study of one
special branch, that connected with
Stone Folk lore, which was allied with
ancient superstitions. He described the
nature and geological character of stones
i'll question, the superstitions they were
connected with, and their frequent men
ton in history, even among nations in
the earliest historic times. Perhaps none
are so competent TO give TO the world an
exact statement of facts in regard to this
department Of FOLKLORE as Dr. Duns,
for he has made it a subject of long
study, and his collection Of evidence
and examples is unique. For such an
explorer to give to the world the results
of his work is not only gain, but en-
ables the public to avoid the danger, so
often experienced in regard to the work
: of less accomplished men OF drawing
+, wrong conclusions.
: His excellency, the United States am
bassador, had sent notice that he would
if possible be at the institutes gather.
! ing, but in his absence the Right Hon.
Lord lalsbury, ex-iord high chancellor
T of England, took his place, and in moy-
ing the vote of thanks for the address,
Z highly complimented its reader for the
$ admirable way iii which he had rem
dered the authors work.
d The other speakers were Sir II.
r l}arkly, G. Q. M. g., X. q. b., +. r.. s.,
: Sir Joseph Fayrer, X. G. S. l., f. r. s.,
: Sir George Buchanan, +. r. S., His
:, Honor j. Otonba Payne, chief registrar
y Of the supreme court Of Lagos, West
u Africa; Surgeon-G General G. A. Gordon,
G.. b., Professor Hull, +. II. S., late
director of the geological survey Of
Ireland; and Mr.. f. Corbet, of Ceylon.
l. The honorary secretary, Captain +,
II Petrie, in reading the report of the in.
d stitute-whose object is to investigate all
q philosophical and scientific questions
j. including any alleged to initiate against
n the truth of observation-disclosures to the
it value of the work recently done. The
If institutes membership had increased
;, during the past year, among those lately
v joining being Lord Kelvin Cwho in
l. tended 10 have spoken at the meeting.
h Several important papers. communica
1t tons, &C., had been considered during
the session, their authors being Lore
D. Halsbury, +. X. S., Mr.. G. Buckton, L
e X. S., Sir w. Dawson, f. r. s., Prof
h James Geikie, F. Il. S., Sir H. Howorth
" +. Il. S., Prof. Hughes, f. II, S., Prot
i Hull, +. r. s., Prof. 4. X. Jones, +. X
j. s.; DR.. Prestwich, d. @. L., f. r. S., 81
10 Thomas Wade, f. X. S., Mr.. Hormuz,
N Rassam, the discoverer of Separvainl
IL &C., DR.. Woodward, president of TIL
l. Geological Society, Surgeon-Genera
Gordon, c. b., Prof. I. q. Pinche;
a. Major Gender, Dir. j. Frazer, Prot
Macloskie of Princeton and many other
is Among the subjects taken up, one b
is DIR, Prestwch (the acknowledged Mes
Mt tor among geologistsl, "A Possible Caus
is for the Origin of the Tradition of th
Flood" had been very fully dealt witt
O. DIR. Prestwich brought before the inst
IN tute all those geological phenomen
~ which had come under his observttio
N. during half century Of geological r,
as search throughout Europe and III
CO coasts of the Mediterranean, which wei
He "only applicable upon the hypothes
pl of widespread and snort submergenC
NJ. of continental dimensions, followed b
early re.elevation, and this hypothes
satisfied all the important conditions
the problem"
N
mr.. Uphum, and others, considered ii
raI period Of the Great Ice Age, in doir
Ihn which he cited the evidence colectt
nm throughout the American contineu
III which forced investigators to consid
T n that the period Of the Great Ice Age W
Mic 10000, not 800, 900 or even 10000 yea
ala ago, contention which Dr. Prestwit
I'D and others supported, but on entire
T., ! diffprnut data
the Other subjects were Eastern EXplor
ton; the liabylonan Records of
Primitive MUnOtheism lin which it W
clearly proved from readings in recent
uts, deciphered Assyrian tablets that Mon
yer theism and the name, Aa, Jehovah, "
ms, known in Assyria generations befu
.ty the time of Abraham, u resultulsu in 4
~ corlanCe with evidence from the Garlic
,ox. known Egyptian records, but oppos
and to the recent speculations of Certa
leading modern writer's; Biological i
search I'm which il was shown that /
contention of some biologists that Il
science afforded negative evidence
the existence Of an over-ruling Pro
dcucc was uutenableE illustrations u
Combinations of the Bible Record fro
Recent Discoveries; Eastern Explo
ton; The Origin of the Australasia
Peoples; Habit in Man; Chinese ETH
sc.
Reference was made to the institut
increasing membership abroad aud
It the colonies, and the successful
engagements by which its most dist;
members could take part in consid
ing the subjects Brought forward; a
.. to the useful purposes which the Inc
- an tolF