open attack on the independence of the Council could not escape
the remarks of some of the members, and a kind of mild remonstrance was
made, in which the real ground of complaint was omitted.

MINUTE OF COUNCIL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY. December 18, 1823.

RESOLVED, That in acknowledging the communication of the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, made to the Council of the Royal
Society, on the 20th of November last, it be represented to them that
inconvenience may arise from the plan therein specified, from the
circumstance of all the members of the Council being annually elected
by the Society at large; and that body being consequently subject to
continual changes from year to year.

This was answered by the following letter from the Secretary of the
Admiralty:

ADMIRALTY OFFICE, DEC. 30, 1828.

SIR, Having submitted to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty your
Letter of the 18th instant, subjoining an extract from the Minutes of
the proceedings of the Council of the Royal Society, arising out of the
communication made to them by their Lordships, on the subject of his
Majesty's Order in Council, of the fifth of October last, I have their
Lordships' command to acquaint you, for the information of the President
and Council, and with reference to what they have stated as to the
inconvenience which may arise from the intended plan of limiting their
Lordships' choice of members of the Resident Committee of Scientific
Advice to the Council of the Royal Society, that their Lordships were
induced to recommend this plan to his Majesty as a mark of respect to
the Society, and as a pledge to the public of the qualification of the
persons chosen. Nor did their Lordships apprehend any inconvenience from
the circumstance stated in the Minute of the Council, of the Members
being annually elected, as the Resident Committee is also annually
appointed; and, in point of fact, no practical inconvenience has been
felt during the ten years that the Committee has been in existence,
as four of the distinguished gentlemen whom their Lordships have
successively appointed to this office, have continued during the whole
period to be members of the Council; and if any such difficulty or
inconvenience should hereafter arise, their Lordships will be ready to
take proper measures for remedying it.

Their Lordships' intention therefore is, to propose to Captain Kater and
Mr. Herschel, to continue to fill this office; and to Dr. Young, who ha