After more than 300 years of continuous existence in London, the Royal Society and its 840 Fellows have achieved a worldwide reputation for scientific excellence. This arises not only from their individual prestige and eminence, but also from the superb manner in which the affairs of the Society itself are administered. Here the author is able to reveal some of the reasons for this success, proceeding in an analytical, rather than a critical, approach, describing the Fellowship, the Council, the scientific activities, the publications and the Society's role in international scientific affairs amongst other aspects.
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References
1.
In 1663, for example, its income was only £152 and the total expenditure was only £146, leaving a surplus of £6.
2.
Histories of the Royal Society have been written by: Tho. Sprat, FRS, The History of the Royal Society of London for the Improving of Natural Knowledge, London (1667); Charles Weld, A History of the Royal Society with Memoirs of the Presidents, two volumes, London (1848); The Record of the Royal Society of London, 4thEdn, Royal Society, London(1940); Sir Harold Hartley, FRS, The Royal Society its Origins and Founders, Royal Society, London (1960); E. N. da C. Andrade, FRS, A Brief History of the Royal Society, Royal Society, London (1960).
3.
See the article by the late Lord Holford in the Society's brochure entitled The Royal Society at Carlton House Terrace (1967).
4.
The Society has some 150 of such paintings and 25 busts, of which it has published a catalogue.
5.
… in the dexter corner of a silver shield our three Lions of England, and for Crest a helm adorned with a crown studded with florets, surmounted by an eagle of proper colour holding in one foot a shield charged with our Lions; supporters, two white hounds gorged with crowns’. The motto which the Society chose, ‘Nullius in verba’, was an expression of their determination to withstand the domination of authority and to verify all statements by an appeal to facts.
6.
Comparison with the procedure in the House of Lords is inevitable.
7.
The number of graduate scientists in Great Britain today is about tenfold that at the end of the 1st World War.
8.
Society's1977Year Book, pp. 188–191.
9.
1977Year Book, p. 191.
10.
£10 annually after the age of 67.
11.
See the section on ‘Publications’.
12.
This arrangement facilitates the attendance of Council members at the review lectures.
13.
With a professional projectionist engaged to be on duty full-time during discussion meetings.
14.
Before1932, obituaries of some of the Fellows were published in the Proceedings. From 1932 till 1954, nine annual volumes were published under the title Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, This title was changed in 1955 to Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. The 1976 volume had 650 pages.
15.
1977Year Book, pp. 115–125.
16.
Originally with the Royal Institute of Chemistry.
17.
1977Year Book, p. 146.
18.
There is a growing feeling that such committees are too large and steps may be taken to reduce the membership.
19.
SmithAnthony, Mato Grosso(illustrated), Michael Joseph, London (1971).
20.
Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London227, No. 918 (1975).
21.
Descriptive article inNotes and Records of the Royal Society (1 October 1974) and Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London. Ser. B. 260(1971).
22.
This overlaps the Government's financial year, starting from 1 April. The reason that the Society's year ends in September is to allow time to prepare the annual accounts for presentation at the Anniversary meeting in November.
23.
1977Year Book, p. 207.
24.
1977Year Book, p. 201.
25.
1977Year Book, pp. 207–210.
26.
By its charter, the Royal Society has direct access to the Sovereign, and need not go through any Government department. As a matter of fact, I happened to witness by chance the departure on 18 July from Carlton House Terrace of the President of the Royal Society, together with the Treasurer and the Physical and Foreign Secretaries (the Biological Secretary was abroad) to present a loyal jubilee address to the Queen. They were accompanied by the Executive Secretary, carrying the heavy Charles II gilded mace: all wore their doctoral academic robes. On that occasion, the Queen also received delegations from other privileged bodies such as the City of London, the Greater London Council, the Bank of England and the Royal Academy: they were introduced by the Home Secretary (see: Court Circular in The Times 19 July1977).
27.
The entrance hall, the conference room, the Wellcome lecture hall, the City of London rooms, the Fellows’ Common Room, the Council Chamber, the adjacent lobby and the library reading room. The Society also had its own publications stand.
