The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-07-16
BRITISH
Royal Society jubilee Occurs
10 London
Hundreds Of Noted People
Are n Attendance

London, July 13-Hundreds Of noted
scientists representing universities,
colleges. institutions for scientific re.
search ana scientific societies In all
parts Of the civilized globe have ar.
rived in this city during the present
week to take part in the celebration
next week, Of the 250th anniversary of
the foundation Of the Royal Society,
the most important scientific body in
Great Britain. Every country Of Eu.
rope, nearly every one Of the civilized
nations Of the Orient, the United
States, Canada and the British DOS.
sessions In all parts Of the world will
be represented 1t the Jubilee celebra.
tion which will begin on Monday and
continue until Thursday Of next week.
In keeping with the importance Of
the event to be commemorated the
celebration will be on an extensive
scale and q highly interesting and
elaborate program has been arranged.
King George, who. like all his male
predecessors on the throne of Eng.
land, since Charles H., was made a
member of the Royal Society, is TAX.
ing unusual interest in the matter and
will entertain his fellow members of
the Royal Society aud its native and
foreign guests. The Lord Mayor and
corporation CT the city OF London will
give magnificent banquet to the
members and guests in Guild Hall and
the universities of Oxford and Cam.
bridge will welcome them.
The Royal Society received It's char.
ter Of Incorporation, bearing the sig
nature OF Charles II. and the great seal
OF the realm, on July Is, 1862. and it
is this event which will be commem.
GRATED next week. But the history Of
the society dates really back to the
year 1645. In that year Theodore
Haak, a German, who had come from
the Palatinate to England, began to
organize weekly meetings "of divers
worthy persons inquisitive In natural
philosophy and other parts Of human
learning, and particularly Of what has
been called the New Philosophy, or
experimental philosophy" One Of
Haak's scientific friends. Henry o..
denburg, also of German nationality,
acted as secretary and keeper of the
records of these meetings, which were
at first held at the Bull Head tavern.
in Cheapside, and also at the lodgings
of a DR.. Goddard in Wood street
Three years later some of the mem.
bers of these gatherings, who had re-
moved their residence to Oxford,
founded sister organization at the
university, under the name Of "The
Philosophical Society Of Oxford" !"
Close relations we're maintained be.
tween the London and the Oxford or
ganization. but ultimately their joint
activities. were concentrated in Lon.
don, where meetings were held at
} Gresham college. Not, however, until
1860, did these meetings assure defin-
ite corporate form, and under the
craftsmanship of Dr.. Wilkins commit
tee Of Forty was constituted for the
purpose of promoting psychic mathe.
matical, experimental learning and
; philosophy" with Initiation fees, an.
: nual subscriptions, and regularly ap-
pointed meeting days, and series OF
lectures.
Sir Robert Moray was elected presl'
dent and the membership of the So
} ciety was limited to fifty-five. Fellows
of the Royal College of Physicians. and
the professors OF mathematics. physics
and pf natural philosophy at Oxford
and Cambridge were made admissible
as associate or suIernumerary mem
, bers. In October of the following year
/ King Charles, who look great interest
J In the society, applied for election as
ordinary member and was duly elect
ed. On July Is. 1852, the Royal So
ciety received It's charter. The origin
al founder of the society, Theodore
Haak, had died in the meantime, but
his friend, Henry Oldenburg. was still
living and actively interested In the
organisation. He was properly honor
! ed by being unanimously elected the
: first secretary and permanent execu
tive officer of the society.
Until the great fire of London, the
. society continued to hold its meetings
, in Gresham college. But when, after
I that confiagration, the premises OF the
!. Royal Society in Gresham college were
required for the municipal offices. Il
was invited by Henry Howard. sixth
d Duke OF Norfolk, to establish itseil
o under his roof at Arundel House. Al
d the same time he presented the socie
1. ty with the valuable library collected
by his grandfather, Thomas, Earl o.
Arundel. In 1871 Isaac Newton wa'
I. | oloctod q momhor and thirty wears lat