Scientific London

Front matter

A/ v

Jk.

SCIENTIFIC LONDON.

Preface

On becoming a frequent visitor at the meetings of learned Societies, I was astonished to find that the written records of them deeds Were few and far between, and that, with the exception of Weld’s “History of the Eoyal Society,” but little connected narrative had been produced on a subject of great and increasing interest. Facts of inestimable value lay scattered through endless volumes of “ Transactions” and “Proceedings,” but these treasures were not arranged in a form accessible to the general reader. According to my lights I have striven, in unambitious fashion, to supply this gap in the literature of science, and in the little book now offered to the public have attempted to describe in a compact form the rise, progress, and present condition of those great Scientific Institutions of which London — and for that matter England — is justly proud.

VI

PREFACE.

Both in the collection and arrangement of material for these papers — which originally appeared in the columns of Iron — I have received ready and valuable aid from the officers of various institutions, and I take this opportunity of tendering my hearty thanks to Professor Huxley, to Major Donnelly, to Mr. W. Spottiswoode, and to Mr. Henry Cole; to Mr. H. T. Wood and Mr. Davenport, of the Society of Arts ; to Mr. Walter White, of the Boyal Society; to Mr. Whittall, of the Statistical Society ; to Mr. Latimer Clark and Mr. G. E. Preece, of the Society of Telegraph Engineers; to Mr. Trenham Peeks, of the Eoyal School of Mines ; to Mr. Norris, of the Birkbeck Institute; to Mr. H. W. Bates, of the Eoyal Geographical Society; to Mr. Forrest, of the Institution of Civil Engineers; and especially to Colonel Charles Manby, to whose frequent counsel and friendly supervision I am deeply indebted.

It only remains for me to add that, however much the array of facts in this little volume is due to the courtesy of scientific friends, the only person responsible for the opinions advanced is

The Author.

October 10th, 1874.