Page:History of the Royal Astronomical Society (1923).djvu/271

 1880-1920] ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 239 first number in 1877 April, has made these reports a special feature, to which most readers probably look first of all on receiv- ing a new number. The lantern provided in 1890 December has been a most useful acquisition, as it not only enables the members present to see under the best conditions the wonderful features of the Milky Way, Nebulae, Solar Corona, etc., from the most recent photographs, but also gives an author convenient means of showing tabular matter or intricate formulae on the screen instead of wasting time in copying them out on the blackboard, where many of the audience are unable to see them. Another useful innovation was tried in 1889, when advertisements were inserted in The Times giving the titles of the papers received up to a couple of days before each meeting. This was discontinued a year later, since when postcards giving this information have been sent to such Fellows as express their wish to receive them. The principal work of a scientific Society, and that by which posterity will judge it, is, of course, the publication of papers. During the forty years ending 1920 our Society has published a steadily increasing number of papers dealing with all branches of Astronomy. At the beginning of this period, in 1881 November, Cayley resigned the Editorship of the Society's publications, which he had held (in succession to Grant) since 1859 December, except during the two years (1872-74) when he was President, while Proctor took his place as Editor. It was resolved by the Council in 1881 December, that in future the publications should be edited by the Secretaries, with such help from the Assistant Secretary as they might require, and that the remuneration of 50 per annum hitherto paid to the Editor, be paid to him. This arrangement is still in operation and has worked well. It is very curious to see how the Monthly Notices have gradually taken the place of the Memoirs as the principal organ of the Society. This was, of course, due to the rapidity and regularity of its publication. Though this journal had gradually taken over many short papers from the Memoirs, the Annual Report appeared in both series up to 1858, while each volume of the Memoirs was described on the title-page as the quarto half-volume for the session. . ., and bore the following notice on the cover : " The Octavo Half-volume, being volume ... of the Monthly Notices, containing the abstracts, observations, shorter papers, etc., for the same session, is given to purchasers of the Quarto Half- volume, and is necessary to complete it." But this notice disappeared after 1858, the Monthly Notices being thus recognised as a separate journal. Still the Council wished to make the journal " become an integral part of the volumes of the Memoirs." This was done by re-imposing the type into a quarto form with double columns,