OFFICERS AND COUNCIL, 1903-1904. PRESIDENT. SIR NORMAN LOCKYER, K.C.B., LL.D., F.R.S., Correspondant de l'Institut de France. The Right Hon. the EARL OF DERBY, K.G., G.C.B. The Right Hon. the EARL SPENCER, K.G., LL.D., The Right Hon. the EARL OF SEFTON, Sir HENRY ROSCOE, B.A., Ph.D., LL.D., D.O.L., Sir GEORGE A. PILKINGTON. Sir CHARLES SCARISBRICK, J.P. ALFRED HOPKINSON, Esq., LL.D., K.O., Vice- T. T. L. SCARISBRICK, Esq., Mayor of Southport. CHARLES H. B. HESKETH, Esq. PRESIDENT ELECT. The Right Hon. A. J. BALFOUR, D.C.L., M.P., F.R.S., Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh. VICE-PRESIDENTS ELECT. His Grace the DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE, K.G., LL.D., F.R.S., Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. ALEXANDER PECKOVER, Esq., LL.D., Lord Lieu- The Right Rev. the LORD BISHOP OF ELY, D.D. The Right Hon. and Rev. LORD BRAYBROOKE, The Right Hon. LORD RAYLEIGH, D.C.L., LL.D., The Right Hon. LORD KELVIN, G.C.V.O., D.C.L., The Rev. F. H. CHASE, D.D., Vice-Chancellor of the The Right Rev. H. MONTAGU BUTLER, D.D., J. H. CHESSHYRE DALTON, Esq., M.D., Mayor of ROBERT STEPHENSON, Esq, Chairman of the Cam- JOSEPH MARTIN, Esq., Chairman of the Isle of Ely P. H. YOUNG, Esq., Deputy Mayor of Cambridge, Professor G. CAREY FOSTER, LL.D., D.Sc., F.R.S., Burlington House, London, W. Major P. A. MACMAHON, R.A., D.Sc., F.R.S. Professor W. A. HERDMAN, D.Sc., F.R.S. ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY. J. G. GARSON, M.D., Burlington House, London, W. LOCAL TREASURERS FOR THE MEETING AT CAMBRIDGE. A. E. SHIPLEY, Esq., M.A. LOCAL SECRETARIES FOR THE MEETING AT CAMBRIDGE, S. R. GINN, Esq. S. SKINNER, Esq., M.A. J. E. L. WHITEHEAD, Esq., M.A The Trustees, the President and President Elect, the Presidents of former years, the Vice-Presidents and Vice-Presidents Elect, the General and Assistant General Secretaries for the present and former years, the General Treasurers for the present and former years, and the Local Treasurer and Secretaries for the ensuing Meɛting. TRUSTEES (PERMANENT). The Right Hon. Lord AVEBURY, D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., F.L.S. The Right Hon. Lord RAYLEIGH, M.A., D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., F.R.A.S. Report of the Council for the Year 1902-1903, presented to the General Committee at Southport on Wednesday, September 9, 1903. The following resolutions were referred to the Council by the General Committee for consideration, and action if desirable : : I. That the Council be requested to impress upon His Majesty's Government the desirability of appointing an Inspector of Ancient Monuments under the Ancient Monuments Act in the place of the late Lieut.-General Pitt-Rivers.' II. That the Council be requested to call the attention of His Majesty's Government to the destruction of Ancient Monuments, especially on Dartmoor, which is authorised under the terms of the Highway Act, 5 & 6 Wm. IV., c. 50, the provisions of which are unrepealed by later Acts; and to urge the repeal of this section of the Act.' III. That the attention of the Royal Irish Academy be drawn to the importance of organising and carrying out a Pigmentation Survey of School Children in Ireland.' A Committee, consisting of the General Officers and Dr. A. C. Haddon, was appointed to draw up a Memorandum to give effect to these resolutions, and with the approval of the Council the following letter was addressed to the First Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings :— 'British Association for the Advancement of Science, Burlington House, London, W., March 31, 1903. 'SIR, I am desired by the Council of the British Association for the Advancement of Science to inform you that in their opinion it is very desirable that an Inspector under the Ancient Monuments Act be appointed in succession to the late General Pitt-Rivers. 'Since the death of the late Inspector of Ancient Monuments there is no one with scientific knowledge of the subject whose business it is to superintend the operations of the Act. 'The ancient monuments of Great Britain as a whole are not subject to any regular official inspection, and this lack of a personal interest in the monuments generally results in their neglect by their owners and by local authorities. The Council feel confident if an active and enthusiastic scientific Inspector of Ancient Monuments were appointed many more monuments would be placed under the Act, and would thereby be preserved for and by the nation. 'I have the honour to be your obedient Servant, To this letter the following reply was received : 'H.M. Office of Works, April 8, 1903. 'SIR,- With reference to your letter of the 31st ultimo I am directed by the First Commissioner of His Majesty's Works, &c., to acquaint you, for the information of the Council of the British Association, that the question of the appointment of an Inspector under the Ancient Monuments Act is now engaging the attention of the Board. 'I am, Sir, your obedient Servant, (Signed) On the Resolution II. the following letter was, with the approval of the Council, addressed to the President of the Local Government Board : 'British Association for the Advancement of Science, 'SIR,—I am desired by the Council of the British Association for the Advancement of Science to call your attention to the fact that in different parts of the country, and especially on Dartmoor, much damage has been and is still being done to Ancient Monuments by the materials of which they are constructed being taken for mending roads in the vicinity under cover of the Highway Act, 5 & 6 Wm. IV., c. 50, ss. li.-liv. 'As the surface stones near to the highways become used up, and road-mending material has to be brought from greater distances, the destruction of Ancient Monuments, particularly those in the vicinity of the highways, has proceeded apace by the hands of the contractors' employés. The Council desire in the name of this Association to express their opinion that the Act above mentioned should be amended, or other means taken to secure as speedily as possible the protection of Ancient Monuments of all kinds from further destruction in the manner indicated. To the above letter the following replies have been received :- 'Local Government Board, Whitehall, S.W., April 22, 1903. SIR,-I am directed by the Local Government Board to advert to your letter of the 31st ultimo with respect to the protection of Ancient Monuments and to state that the amendment of the Highway Act suggested in your letter will be noted by the Board. 'I am to add that, having regard to the provisions of the Ancient Monuments Protection Acts, the Board have sent a copy of your letter to the Commissioners of Works. I am also to suggest that, looking to the terms of the Ancient Monuinents Protection Act of 1900, the Association might bring the matter under the notice of the respective County Councils. 'I am, Sir, "Your obedient Servant, 'Professor Dewar, F.R.S.' (Signed) 'H. C. HOWES, 'Assistant Secretary. H.M. Office of Works, April 30, 1903. 'SIR,-A copy of your letter of the 31st ultimo to the President of the Local Government Board having been forwarded to this Department, I am directed by the First Commissioner of His Majesty's Works, &c., to state that it appears to this Board that the prevention of the damage to Ancient Monuments, to which you invite attention, is a matter in which the County Councils could most effectively take action, certain powers being conferred on those bodies by the Ancient Monuments Act 1900 (63 & 64 Vic., c. 34). 'Professor Dewar, F.R.S.' 'I am, Sir, "Your obedient Servant, (Signed) 'SCHOMBERG K. MCDONNELL. On the Resolution III. the following letter was addressed, with the approval of the Council, to the President of the Royal Irish Academy :'British Association for the Advancement of Science, 'Burlington House, London, W., March 31, 1903. 'DEAR SIR, -I am desired by the Council to inform you that at the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science held last year at Belfast the question of the desirability of organising a Pigmentation Survey of the School Children in Ireland was discussed on the reading of a paper on that subject by Mr. J. F. Tocher, a copy of which is herewith inclosed. 'The Council venture to hope that the Royal Irish Academy, having for many years interested itself practically in the investigation of the Ethnography of Ireland, will carefully consider the scheme outlined in the paper, and may be induced to take up the work. The Council are of opinion that as a Pigmentation Survey of the School Children in Scotland is at present being conducted, a corresponding survey of the School Children in Ireland would be of considerable scientific value, and could not be carried out under better auspices than those of the Royal Irish Academy. The following letter was received from the Colonial Secretary for Bermuda : : 'Colonial Secretary's Office, Hamilton, Bermuda, October 17, 1902. 'SIR,-I am directed by His Excellency the Governor of Bermuda to request you to be good enough to submit the following matter for the consideration of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. 'A Committee of the Legislature of this Colony, appointed to consider and report what steps it would be desirable to take locally with a view to the establishment and maintenance of a Marine Biological Station in these islands, has reported in favour of the establishment of such a station, and has recommended that the Legislature should make provision for its erection and ordinary equipment. This report has been adopted by the House of Assembly. 'The Committee has in its report further recommended that before the Legislature decides to take any definite action in the matter steps should be taken to endeavour to ascertain whether certain eminent scientific bodies and institutions both in the United Kingdom and in the United States of America would view with approval the establishment of such a station in these islands for purposes of scientific research, and to inquire also to what extent such institutions would be prepared to co-operate with this Colony in the matter, and to assist in making the station one of an international character and suitable for the prosecution of advanced scientific research. 'It is possible that the British Association might consider it desirable to encourage the establishment and maintenance of the proposed Biological Station, and I am requested to invite you to be good enough to submit this communication to that body for their information and consideration. 'I have the honour to be, Sir, The letter was referred to a Committee consisting of Professor Howes, Dr. Ray Lankester, Professor Herdman, Mr. G. Murray, and the General Officers, from whom the following report was received : :- The Committee have to report that in their opinion the establishment of a Marine Biological Laboratory at Bermuda is very desirable, the island being most favourably situated for the purpose, inasmuch as it permits of the study of coral reefs and the many other interesting forms and problems of marine life associated therewith under climatic conditions excellently adapted for European workers. 'It appears from the letter of the Colonial Secretary of Bermuda that the Legislature of the Colony has resolved to erect and equip the laboratory, and that the support asked for is a contribution in the form of a grant or grants towards its maintenance. The Committee consider it desirable that the attention of the Committees of Sections concerned in marine problems of research be directed to the matter for the purpose of determining whether any definite researches could be usefully engaged in at the laboratory under the auspices of the Association, and to what degree these may be usefully advanced by the appropriation of the funds of the Association. 'The Committee are of opinion that in return for any subsidy given arrangements should be made with the Colonial Government to give accommodation and special facilities in the laboratory to workers appointed by the British Association.' The report was adopted by the Council and has been referred to the Organising Committees of Sections for the consideration of those Sections interested in marine problems of research at the Southport Meeting. A considerable number of notifications of alterations in coast outline having been received from the coastguard stations of the United Kingdom, the Committee on Coast Erosion, consisting of Sir Archibald Geikie, |