37
MEETING OF THE DELEGATES OF THE
CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES OF THE BRITISH
ASSOCIATION AT HAVRE, 1914.
Report by the Essex Field Club's Delegate,
Mr. Wilfred Mark Webb, F.L.S.
MEMBERS of the British Association who went to
France were most kindly received by the French Asso-
ciation and by the town of Havre. In fact, a special
compliment was paid to them, as the meeting was everywhere
announced as being a joint one of the English and French Asso-
ciations, although those who came from the British Isles were
really only visitors. The proceedings were carried on much
on the same lines as those of the British Association, though the
number of sections was greater, and that of number of members,
attending each, smaller.
" The Conference of Delegates met on Tuesday, 28th July,
and twelve affiliated and five associated societies were repre-
sented. The object of holding the meeting in France was to
demonstrate how the Conference of Delegates worked, and
therefore the Chairman's address dealt with the history of the
endeavour to co-ordinate the work of local Scientific Societies
in Great Britain.
" In the. absence of the Chairman, Sir H. G. Fordham, his
address was read by the Vice-Chairman, Sir Edward Brabrook.
A greater part of the paper is mainly a record of facts, to which
reference may be made in the printed report of the Corresponding
Societies Committee. It may be well, however, to mention that.
Sir George Fordham endorsed the opinion of the Chairman of
1904, that the labours of the Conferences of Delegates had
scarcely been commensurable with the expectations of those who
instituted the meetings, or with the possibilities of the situation.
Sir George Fordham thought that the weakness of the secretarial
staff of the local societies had apparently been the difficulty in
the way of success. This opinion gave rise to some discussion.
Dr. Garson thought that honorary work was badly done, and
that the duties which secretaries of societies were called upon
to carry out should be divided. Mr. T. Sheppard did not agree
that honorary secretaries were usually bad secretaries. He knew
of several, both paid and honorary, and his experience was