APPENDIX (Q.) PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SCOTTISH SOCIETY OF ARTS, SESSION 1863–64. The Annual General Meeting of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts was held in their Hall, 117 George Street, on Monday, 9th November 1863, at Eight o'clock P.M.—Dr Stevenson Macadam, President, in the Chair. His Royal Highness Prince Alfred honoured the meeting with his presence as an Honorary Fellow of the Society. 1. The President delivered an Address, for which, on the motion of Dr Newbigging, thanks were unanimously returned, and he was requested to allow it to be sent to the Publication Committee, in the view of its being published among the Transactions of the Society,-to which he assented. (See Address printed in the Transactions, Part III. p. 266.) 2. The Report of the Prize Committee awarding the Prizes for Session 1862-63 was read, and the Prizes were delivered by the President to the successful Candidates. The Models and Drawings of Inventions, &c., for which Prizes had been awarded, were exhibited. The following Donations were laid on the Table, and thanks returned to the Donors: 1. Life of Thomas Telford, Civil Engineer-written by Himself. Edited by John Rickman, one of his Executors, 1838; and 2. Atlas to do. Presented by Alfred Burges, C.E., London, of the late firm of Walker and Burges, C.E. 3. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India-"Paleontologia VOL. VI.-APP. х Indica," Nos. 2, 4, 5. Presented by the Superintendent, under instructions from the Governor-General. 4. Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Cambridge, 1862. Presented by the Association. 5. Annual Report of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. 1862. Presented by the Institution. 6. Boston Journal of Natural History. Vol. VII., Nos. 1, 2, and 3; 7. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History. Vol. VIII. 1861 to 1862; 8. Do. Vol. IX. January to October 1862; and, 9. Constitution and Bye-Laws of the Society, with List of Members, 1855. Presented by the Society, and transmitted through the Smithsonian Institution. 10. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St Louis. Vol. II., No. 1. 1863. Presented by the Academy, and transmitted through the Smithsonian Institution. 11. Report of the Visitors, and List of Members, of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, 1862; and, 12. Proceedings of the Institution. Vol. IV., Parts 1 and 2. Presented by the Institution. 13. The Foretelling of the Weather in connection with Meteorological Observations. By F. H. Klein. Translated from the original Dutch by A. Adriani, M.D., F.R.S.S.A., &c. Presented by the Translator. 14. The Canadian Journal of Industry, Science, and Art. New Series, Nos. 45 and 46. May and July 1863. Presented by the Canadian Institute. 15. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. November 1862 and January 1863. Presented by the Institution. 16. The Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal. Nos. 353-355 inclusive. Presented by the Proprietors. 17. The Practical Mechanic's Journal. Parts 185-187 inclusive. Presented by the Proprietors. 18. The Artizan. Nos. 8, 9, 10 of Vol. I., 3d Series. Presented by the Proprietors. 19. The Mechanic's Magazine. Nos. 237-252 inclusive. Presented by the Proprietors. 20. The Journal of the Society of Arts, London. Nos. 555-570 inclusive. Presented by the Society. The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, No. 36, New Series, was also laid on the Table. PRIVATE BUSINESS. I. The Minutes of the last two Meetings were read and confirmed. II. Previous to the election of Office-Bearers, notice of the following motion was given by Mr Sang, viz., "That the Society take into consideration the mode of electing its Office-Bearers." III. In terms of Law XV., the Society elected its OfficeBearers for Session 1863-64, as follows:— STEVENSON MACADAM, Esq., Ph.D., F.R.S.E., F.C.S., &c.,. President. William Lees, Esq., A.M., Prof. T. C. ARCHER, F.R.S.E., Director of the Industrial Museum of Scotland, } Vice-Pres dents. JOHN BEATSON BELL, Esq., W.S., Chambers, 5 Hill Street, Secretary. JOHN SCOTT MONCRIEFF, Esq., C.A., Chambers, 7 North St David's Street, Treasurer. STEVENSON MACADAM, Esq., Ph.D., F.R.S.E., F.C.S., &c., Surgeons' Hall, Nicolson Street, Editor of Transactions. ROBERT H. BOW, Esq., C.E., 7 South Gray Street, Newington, Curator of Library. Mr ALEXANDER JAMIESON, 71 Adam Square, Curator of Museum. Ordinary Councillors. JOHN MILNE, Esq., 44 Albany Street. THOMAS STEVENSON, Esq, C.E., W. L. MOFFATT, Esq., Architect. ALEX. CUNINGHAM, Esq., Secretary to the Commissioners for Northern J. NICOL, Esq., Chemist, Dundas St. A. RITCHIE, Esq., Watchmaker, J. M. BRYSON, Esq., Optician, Princes IV. A List of the Office-Bearers, and Alphabetical List of the Fellows, as at 1st November 1863, in the order of admission, accompanied the Billet for the Meeting; as also, V. A copy of the Report of the Prize Committee for Session 1862-63. VI. The following Resignations were accepted of as at 1st inst., viz.: C. H. Gustavus Thost, St Martin's, Guernsey. R. C. Furley, druggist, 39 Earl Grey Street. J. S. Duncan, bootmaker, Princes Street. John Miller, jun., C.E., 137 Princes Street. John Moffat, C.E., Ardrossan. VII. The President reported that the diploma of Honorary Fellowship had been presented to His Royal Highness Prince Alfred, at an interview with which His Royal Highness had favoured himself as President, Dr Newbigging as ex-President, and Mr Beatson Bell, the Secretary, at Holyrood Palace, on Friday 6th inst., when His Royal Highness received the same very graciously. The Society then adjourned. Second Meeting-23d November 1863.-Dr Stevenson Macadam, President, in the Chair. The following Communications were made: 1. On the Water Supply of Edinburgh. By Alexander Ramsay, F.R.S.S.A., Manager of the Edinburgh Water Company. Illustrated by a Map, &c. (See paper printed in the Transactions, p. 285.) An interesting discussion arose after the reading of the paper, in which the President, Mr Girle, Mr Jardine, Mr Charles Cowan, and others joined; and after a reply by Mr Ramsay, on the motion of the President, thanks were cordially voted for the communication. On the motion of Mr Sang, it was agreed to send the paper to the Publication Committee, with the view of considering whether it might not be made public without awaiting its insertion in the Transactions, and if so resolved, with power to carry this into effect. 2. The Notice of a Mode of Employing Aluminium in Mechanical Dentistry, by Dr John Smith, F.R.C.S., Dental Surgeon to the Royal Infirmary, was delayed in consequence of the lateness of the hour. The following Donations were laid on the Table, and thanks returned to the Donors : 1. Report read by the Astronomer-Royal of Scotland before the adjourned Meeting of the Board of Visitors of the Royal Observatory on the 14th, and issued 21st October 1863. Presented by the AstronomerRoyal for Scotland. 2. The Artizan. No. 11, Vol. I., 3d Series. Proprietors. Presented by the 3. The Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal. No. 356, Vol. XXVI. Presented by the Proprietors. 4. The Assurance Magazine and Journal of the Institute of Actuaries, No. 53. Presented by the Institute. 5. The Mechanic's Magazine, Nos. 253, 254. Presented by the Proprietors. 6. The Journal of the Society of Arts, London, Nos. 571-573 inclusive. Presented by the Society. PRIVATE BUSINESS. I. The Minutes of last meeting were read and approved of. II. The following Candidate was proposed, balloted for, and admitted an Ordinary Fellow, viz. : William Scott, engineer, Loanhead. III. The Fellows received a Form of Application to be used by any of their friends who may wish to join the Society. IV. The following motion, of which notice was given by Mr Sang at last meeting, was proposed by him, and seconded by Professor Archer, viz. :-"That the Society take into consideration the Mode of Electing its Office-Bearers." After a lengthened discussion, in which the President, Mr Sang, Professor Archer, Rev. Mr Gray, Dr Ferguson, Mr A. B. Bell, Dr Roberts, the Secretary, and others took part, it was agreed, without a vote, that the subject of the motion. should be remitted to the Council, with the addition of Mr Sang, for consideration, and that a report be brought up to a future meeting of the Society. Adjournment. Third Meeting-14th December 1863.-Dr Stevenson Macadam, President, in the Chair. The following Communications were made: 1. Notice of a Mode of Employing Aluminium in Mechanical Dentistry. By Dr John Smith, F.R.C.S., Dental Surgeon to the Royal Infirmary. (Delayed at last Meeting.) Illustrated by Specimens. Dr Smith stated as follows: "The employment of aluminium as a base for artificial teeth has long ago been proposed, and there is no doubt that in point of economy, durability, easy adaptation, and, above all, of lightness, the metal possesses qualities which would render it desirable for such a purpose. One material drawback, however, attaches to its use in this manner, and that is, the difficulty experienced in soldering it, as well as the imperfect manner in which any solder as yet known serves as a bond of union for aluminium. "Some time ago I attempted to overcome this obstacle to the use of aluminium in mechanical dentistry, by employing it in combination with vulcanite not only as a base but as a support, and in a variety of ways, according to a method which obviates the necessity for solder of any kind, and which in certain cases I have found very serviceable. From its extreme lightness a much thicker plate of aluminium admits of being employed as a base, or as a strengthening bar for artificial teeth than is the case with any other metal; and, taking advantage of this circum |