tln-ougliout all the Great Oceanic Basins, and for other special
objects therein named,—
“ 2. I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners ot the
Admiralty to acquaint yon, for the information of the President
and Conncil, tliat they liave had the subject under their consideration,
and liave decided to fit out one of Her Majesty’s
siiips to leave England on a Voyage of Circumnavigation
towards the close of the present year, in prosecution of the
objects specified in your letter.
3. I am fnrtlier desired to inform you that their Lordships
will he prepared to receive from the President and Conncil of
tiie Eoyal Society any suggestions tiiat they may desire to make
on tiie Scientific Equipment of tlio Vessel, the Composition of
the Civilian Scientific Staff, or any other Scientific matter connected
with the Expedition npon wliicli tiiat body may desire
to offer their opinion.
“ 1 am, Sir,
“ Your obedient Servant,
“ TlIOS. WOLLEY.”
“ The Secretary to the Royal Society.”
Eesolved,—That the Letter from the Admiralty be referred
for consideration and for report to tbe Conncil, to a Committee
consisting of the President and Cfficeis, Dr. Car
penter. Dr. Frankland, Dr. Hooker, Professor Huxley, the
Hydrograplier of the Admiralty, Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys, Mr.
Siemens, Sir William Thomson, Dr. AYyviUe Thomson, Dr.
Williamson, and Mr. Alfred P. Wallace, with power to add
to tlieir number.
June 20th, 1872.
In reference to the arrangements to be made for the Circnm-
navigatory Expedition,'for which H.M.S. ‘ Challenger ’ has now
been put in commission, tbe Committee presented the following
Peport to the Council, viz.;—
“ The Committee suggest that the President and Conncil
should direct a Letter to be written to the Secretary of the
Admiralty to the f o l l o w i n g e f f e c t T l i a t it appears desirable
that the Scientific gentlemen who are to accompany the
‘ Cliallenger’ Expedition should be selected at an early date
and tlieir salaries decided on, in order tliat they may be enabled
to make tiie necessary arrangements for an extended absence
from England.
“ ‘ The President and Conncil of the Poyal Society therefore
recommend as a fit and proper person, to superintend and be
at tlie head of the Civilian Scientific Staff of the Exjiedition,
Wyville Thomson, LL.D., F.P.S., &c., Eegius Professor of Natural
History in tiie University of Edinburgh ; and that, as Professor
Thomson will have to give up his position, with ita emoinments,
at Edinburgh for tiie time he is absent, the President and
Council are of opinion that a less sum than 1,000/. per annum
cannot properly be offered to liim.
“ ‘ They propose that the otlier members of tlie Staff and tlieir
Salaries should be as folioAvs :—
Mr. John James Wild, as Secretary to the Director and Artist . T400
Mr. John Young Buchanan, M.A., Princijial Laboratory Assistant
in the University of Edinburgh, as Chemist and Physicist 200
Mr. Hem-y Nottidge Moseley, B.A. (Oxon.), Radcliffe Travelling
Fellow of Oxford University, as Naturalist.............................. 200
Dr. William Stirling, D.Sc. (Edin.), M.B., Falconer Fellow of
the University of Edinburgh, as Naturalist...............................200
Mr. John Murray, as N a tu r a lis t.........................................................200
“ The Committee further report that Prof Wyville Thomson
informed them that he liad gone with Admiral Pichards to
Sheerness to examine the ‘ Challenger,’ and that the arrangements
appeared to be satisfactory in every respect.”
Eesolved,—That the Peport of the Circumnavigation Committee
be adopted, and that a communication be made to
tlie Admiralty in terms of their recommendation.
November 14i/i, 1872.
The Conncil proceeded to consider tlie Peport of tlie Circumnavigation
Committee.
■I V ,"