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194
Were the business of this Society conducted as systematically
and honorably as is that of the Mechanics ' Institute and
other kindred societies, the Scretary would keep a regular
minute book of proceedings as Rule XXXIX prescribes that he
should do . The se minutes would be read at the commencement
of every sitting of the Society and their accuracy confirmed
or their errors corrected as the case might be. Until this
was done, the Chairman 's signature would not be affixed, or
the minutes be considered as records of the Society.
He also accused Mi lligan of prompting Bedford to squash his protest by
referring it to the Council of the Royal Society;
his statements concerning the salubrity of the climate;
of misrepresenting
of pub lishing
incorrect facts and figures connected with the Orphan School, th e amount
of gluten discovered in wheat , and even in Abbott's meteorological returns .
What will scientific men elsewhere think of the efficiency
of our Royal Society after reading the specious and elaborate
report of our secretary, with such unpardonab le errors patent
up on the face of it. How long will the Fellows permit such
shameful blundering to continue unreproved. Surely seventeen
days • delay - in fact until after another meeting of the
Society had taken place to confuse people's recollections -
afforded ample time enough for the secretary to draw up a
trustworthy and creditab le report . 17
17
Daily News, January 4, 1858.