Page:History of the Royal Astronomical Society (1923).djvu/240

 210 HISTORY OF THE [1870-80 a large and liberal manner, we are asked to assist in this state of stagnation by leaving all in the hands of a few private individuals who cannot, if they would, undertake the work that requires doing, and now, because certain Fellows of the Society have an idea that the real advancement of Science can only take place in a certain way, we must lag behind and cease to lead as we did. There was a crowded room on the occasion of the meeting on April i, and an account of the proceedings, with seemingly verbatim reports of the speeches, will be found in the Observatory magazine for 1 88 1 May. Sir Edmund Beckett opened the discussion with a speech of some length, speaking to the main question and giving reasons why research should not be endowed. Captain Noble seconded the resolution, but his speech is not recorded. Professor H. J. S. Smith moved an amendment equivalent to the " previous question," that " under existing circumstances there is no sufficient reason for the expression of any opinion by the Royal Astronomical Society in its corporate capacity upon the question of the Endow- ment of Research by the Government." He urged among other things that the first resolution might be read as a censure on the grant made by the Government to the Royal Society, and explained that his words " Under existing circumstances " were intended to guard against the possible event of Government funds being at the disposal of persons who might be corruptible and use them improperly, which he did not suggest for one moment was then the case. Mr. Fletcher Moulton expressed somewhat the same views, namely, that the subject was not one for discussion by the Society, and mentioned in his speech that he had found that in a com- munication to the English Mechanic, Captain Noble had been addressed formally as the " Secretary of the Society for opposing the Endowment of Research," which is illuminating as to the feeling on the matter. A letter from Sir George Airy to Captain Noble, in the same capacity, giving the Astronomer Royal's considered views on Endowment, will be found in the Observatory for 1881 March, and in the Athenceum for 1881 February 19. Mr. Ranyard, Mr. George Forbes, Mr. Schuster, and several others spoke, and a written communication from Sir George Airy was read, in which he said, " My objection to the establishment of the Committee on Solar Physics is intended to apply only so far as it is a paid Committee. I do not object to the purpose for which the Committee was appointed or to the payment of a Secretary, or to expenses incidental to an office. The Committee, I believe, have faithfully discharged their understood duties, and I shall willingly co-operate with them to the best of my power." Finally, Professor Smith's amendment was put to the meeting and carried by a majority of fifty to ten. Mr. Moulton moved, and Lord