COMMITTEE OF BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 177
mittee attach to this branch of the work now proposed for the Corresponding
Societies, it is suggested that the circular issued by the Council in accordance
with the recommendation in this report should invite special expressions of
opinion from the Societies through their delegates at the next Conference at
Southport, so that if it is considered desirable that local effort in the cause not
only of science but also of scientific education would be strengthened if backed
up by the authority of the Association, the necessary steps may be taken by the
Council to bring pressure to bear upon the Educational Committees through the
Board of Education.
" The standing British Association Sub-committees of and appointed by the
Corresponding Societies, whether for educational or any other branch of work,
would, through the Corresponding Societies Committee, be in touch with the
Association, and it would always be open for these sub-Committees to forward
to the Corresponding Societies Committee suggested subjects for investigation or
for discussion at the Conference."
In accordance with this report a letter was addressed to the
President, the Secretary, and the Delegate of each of the
Corresponding Societies, pointing out the advantage of securing
closer co-operation with the Corresponding Societies Committee
by the appointment of a Special Committee to deal with such
subjects of investigation as are common to the Society and to
the Committees of the British Association.
The report of the Corresponding Societies Committee states
that a Conference was held on June 24 between the Committee
of Council and the Corresponding Societies Committee, when it
was decided that the questions raised in the Report of the Com-
mittee of Council should be brought forward for discussion at
the Conference of Delegates at Southport.
The first meeting of the Delegates was held in the Chapel
Street Congregational Schoolroom in Southport, on Thursday,
September 10th, under the chairmanship of Mr. W. Whitaker,
F.R.S. After the report of the Corresponding Societies Com-
mittee had been read, Mr. Whitaker explained that he occupied
the chair in consequence of the absence of Mr. Herman Merivale,
who had been nominated as chairman, and had early in the year
accepted the nomination.
Sir Norman Lockyer then briefly addressed the delegates.
He wished to hear their opinion with regard to some of the
questions which he had raised in his Presidential Address. In
that discourse he had advocated the formation of a great Guild
of Science. "We in this Empire," said Sir Norman, "certainly
need to organise science as much as in Germany they find the
need to organise a navy. The German Navy League, which
M