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MINUTE OF COUNCIL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY。 December 18； 1823。
RESOLVED； That in acknowledging the communication of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty； made to the Council of the Royal Society； on the 20th of November last； it be represented to them that inconvenience may arise from the plan therein specified； from the circumstance of all the members of the Council being annually elected by the Society at large； and that body being consequently subject to continual changes from year to year。
This was answered by the following letter from the Secretary of the Admiralty ：
ADMIRALTY OFFICE； DEC。 30； 1828。
SIR； Having submitted to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty your Letter of the 18th instant； subjoining an extract from the Minutes of the proceedings of the Council of the Royal Society； arising out of the communication made to them by their Lordships； on the subject of his Majesty's Order in Council； of the fifth of October last； I have their Lordships' command to acquaint you； for the information of the President and Council； and with reference to what they have stated as to the inconvenience which may arise from the intended plan of limiting their Lordships' choice of members of the Resident Committee of Scientific Advice to the Council of the Royal Society； that their Lordships were induced to recommend this plan to his Majesty as a mark of respect to the Society； and as a pledge to the public of the qualification of the persons chosen。 Nor did their Lordships apprehend any inconvenience from the circumstance stated in the Minute of the Council； of the Members being annually elected； as the Resident Committee is also annually appointed； and； in point of fact； no practical inconvenience has been felt during the ten years that the Committee has been in existence； as four of the distinguished gentlemen whom their Lordships have successively appointed to this office； have continued during the whole period to be members of the Council； and if any such difficulty or inconvenience should hereafter arise； their Lordships will be ready to take proper measures for remedying it。
Their Lordships' intention therefore is； to propose to Captain Kater and Mr。 Herschel； to continue to fill this office； and to Dr。Young； who had resigned it； on receiving the appointment of Secretary to the late Board of Longitude； to be appointed。
I am； Sir； Your obedient servant； JOHN BARROW。
The representation made by the Council was not calculated to produce much effect； but the Secretary of the Admiralty； who knew well the stuff of which Councils of the Royal Society are composed； might have spared the bitter irony of making their Lordships say； that they recommended this plan 〃AS A MARK OF RESPECT TO THE SOCIETY；〃 and 〃AS A PLEDGE TO THE PUBLIC OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PERSONS CHOSEN；〃 whilst he delicately hints to them their dependent situation； by observing； that the 〃RESIDENT COMMITTEE IS ALSO ANNUALLY APPOINTED。〃
The Secretary knew that； PRACTICALLY speaking； it had been the custom for years for the President of the Royal Society to nominate the Council； and consequently he knew that every scientific adviser must first be indebted to the President for being qualified to advise； and then to the Admiralty for deriving profit from his counsel。 Thus then their Lordships； as a 〃MARK OF RESPECT FOR THE SOCIETY〃 confirm the dependence of the Council on the President； by making his nomination a qualification for place； and establish a new dependence of the same Council on themselves； by giving a hundred pounds each year to such three members of that Council as they may select。 〃THE PLEDGE〃 they offer 〃TO THE PUBLIC； OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PERSONS CHOSEN；〃 is； that Mr。 Davies Gilbert had previously thought they would do for his Council。
What the Society； when they are acquainted with it； may think of this mark of respect； or what value the public may put upon this pledge； must be left to themselves to express。
In looking over the list of officers and Council of the Royal Society the weakest perhaps （for purposes of science） which was ever made； a consolation arises from the possibility of some of those who were placed there by way of compliment； occasionally attending。 In that contracted field Lord Melville's penetration may not be uselessly employed； and the soldier who presides over our colonies may judge whether the principles which pervade it are open and liberal as his own。
The inconvenience to the public service from such an arrangement is； that the number out of which the advisers are selected must； in any case； be very small； and may； from several circumstances； be considerably reduced。 In a council fairly selected； to judge of the merits of the various subjects likely to be brought under the consideration of the Society； anatomy； chemistry； and the different branches of natural history； will share with the numerous departments of physical science； in claiming to be represented by persons competently skilled in those subjects。 These claims being satisfied； but few places will be left to fill up with mathematicians； astronomers； and persons conversant with nautical astronomy。
Let us look at the present Council。 Is there a single mathematician amongst them； if we except Mr Barlow； whose deservedly high reputation rests chiefly on his physical and experimental inquiries； and whom the President and the Admiralty have clearly shown they do not look upon as a mathematician； by not appointing him an adviser？
Small as the number of those persons on the Council； who are conversant with the three subjects named in the Act of Parliament； must usually be； it may be still further diminished。 The President； when he forms his Council； may decline naming those members who are most fit for such situations。 Or； on the other hand； some of those members who are best qualified for them； from their knowledge； may decline the honour of being the nominees of Mr。 Gilbert； as Vice Presidents； Treasurers； or Councillors； and thus lending their names to support a system of which they disapprove。
Whether the first of these causes has ever operated can be best explained by those gentlemen who have been on the Council。 The refusals are； notwithstanding the President's taciturnity on the subject； better known than he is willing that they should be。
Having discussed the general policy of the measure； with reference both to the Society and to the public； and without the slightest reference to the individuals who may have refused or accepted those situations； I shall now examine the propriety of the appointments that have been made。
Doubtless the gentlemen who now hold those situations either have never considered the influence such a mode of selection would have on the character of the Council； or； having considered it； they must have arrived at a different conclusion from mine。 There may； however； be arguments which I have overlooked； and a discussion of them must ultimately lead to truth： but I confess that it appears to me the objections which have been stated rest on principles of human nature； too deeply seated to be easily removed。
That I am not singular in the view I have taken of this subject； appears fr