PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

LIVERPOOL

LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING-FIFTIETH SESSION.

ROYAL INSTITUTION, October 1st, 1860.

The REV. H. H. HIGGINS, M.A., PRESIDENT, in the Chair.

The minutes of the last meeting having been read and signed,

Mr. REDISH, acting for the Secretary, read the following Report from the Council:

"The Literary and Philosophical Society enters this evening upon its Fiftieth Session, but it does not complete its fiftieth year of existence until the 21st of February, 1862. It was founded in March, 1812, and thus held part of two Sessions in its first year. It will rest with the Society to celebrate this event at the proper time, by a suitable commemoration, should it be thought desirable. The work of the past Session has been for some time before the members, in a permanent form, and the Council refer with satisfaction to the volume of Proceedings, which will fairly maintain the claims of the Society as a body seeking to foster original inquiry and learned research. Considerable expense has been caused by the illustrations, but the Council feel that their value justified the outlay. The various donations which have been received during the past Session, have been acknowledged to their respective donors, and a

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complete list is printed in the volume already in the hands of the members.

"The attention of your Council having been drawn to The Manchester Flora, by Mr. L. H. Grindon, it was decided to present him with a bound copy of the Society's local Floras, which has accordingly been forwarded to the President of the Manchester School of Medicine, for that purpose.

"During the past year your Society has lost two ordinary members by death—Mr. King Ellison and Mr. J. M. Brighouse -and its distinguished corresponding member, the Rev. Professor Baden Powell. Its number has also been reduced to the extent of thirty by resignations (sixteen) and removals from the roll through the operation of the laws, but it has added nine new members to its ranks; consequently the numerical strength of the Society stands thus:-Ordinary members on the roll at last annual meeting, 150; added by election, 9; removals by death and other causes, 30. Present numbers :-Ordinary members, 129; corresponding members, 40; total, 169.

"The Treasurer's accounts will be laid before you, from which you will perceive that a considerable portion of the Society's funds remain invested on the security of a Dock Bond.

"Your Council desire to draw the attention of the Society to the following Report of the sub-committee of the learned societies, presented at a general meeting of the various councils, held in the Royal Institution, on the evening of the 26th of September: Your sub-committee appointed on the 9th of March last, in pursuance of a proposition of William Brown, Esq., to form a special museum for the exhibition of applications of practical science, have held numerous meetings, and have had communications with Mr. Brown, and with the Library and Museum Committee of the Town Council, and have much pleasure in reporting that their labours have

resulted in an arrangement under which they hope that Mr. Brown's wishes will be fully realized, and that his munificence will result in a valuable addition to the public institutions of the town which was not contemplated when the building of the New Library and Museum was commenced. The Town Council have expressed their concurrence by a Resolution which places at your disposal a large space, comprising a ground floor and two galleries. It is as follows, and fully explains your position in regard to this movement:

"At a meeting of the Gardens and Library and Museum Committee, held on Friday, the 27th July, 1860 (present, Jas. A. Picton, Esq., chairman, &c.,) a suggestion having been made by Mr. Brown that a portion of the New Museum might be advantageously appropriated for the exhibition of new inventions and improvements of a scientific character, under the management of the learned societies of the town, and Mr. Brown having offered to take upon himself the expense of roofing and making galleries for such purpose, and correspondence and conferences having been held with deputations from the Architectural and Archæological Society, the Chemists' Asssociation, the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, the Literary and Philosophical Society, and the Polytechnic Society, with that view, the Library and Museum Committee recommend to the Council that a portion of the new building be set apart for the above-mentioned purpose, under the management of a committee of delegates from the abovenamed societies, who shall be permitted to remove such objects as they may deposit in pursuance of this resolution, such appropriation to continue during the pleasure of the Council, subject to such rules and regulations as the Council may determine upon from time to time. Extracted from the proceedings.-WM. SHUTTLEWORTH, Town-clerk. Approved by the Council, 1st August, 1860.-WM. SHUTTLEWORTH, Townclerk.'

"It is hardly necessary for your Committee to point out that your retention of this valuable privilege is dependent upon your making such use of it as shall promote the public interests, and that the zealous labours of the Committee of Management, and of the societies will be required to this end. The meetings of the societies will afford opportunities for the elucidation of the objects exhibited, and much additional interest will be reflected upon their proceedings. The building is making rapid progress, and the portion appropriated to the purpose under consideration is expected to be ready about the end of the year. Your sub-committee recommend that the museum shall be called the Gallery of Inventions;' that the management of the Gallery of Inventions be vested in a committee, consisting of William Brown, Esq., the founder, and of twenty-five delegates, five to be annually appointed by each of the five societies. That an aggregate meeting of the members of the five societies shall be summoned by the Committee of Management in October of each year, and to them, and to the Library and Museum Committee of the Council, they shall report their proceedings. In conformity with the above, your Council recommend that the election of the five delegates from this Society shall take place this evening, and in future years at the annual meeting of the Society..

"In acknowledgment of Mr. Brown's munificent gift of a Free Public Library to the town, and his provision of a Gallery of Inventions, your Council recommend that he be elected a Corresponding Member of the Society, and that such laws be suspended as may be necessary, for this purpose.

“In conclusion, your Council recommend the following gentlemen for election on the new Council:-Richard Brooke, Esq., F.S.A., Charles H. Clark, Esq., William Ihne, Esq., Ph.D., Dadabhai Naoroji, Esq., James A. Picton, Esq., F.S.A. "HENRY H. HIGGINS, M.A., President.