Elle a surtout donné au mouvement intellectuel, dans notre pays, un vigoureux élan qui a stimulé l'ardeur de bien des esprits supérieurement doués, et dont les brillantes facultés n'auraient pu, sans notre concours, trouver l'occasion de se manifester.

Quand pourrons-nous compléter notre organisation dans le sens que j'ai indiqué?

Bientôt, je l'espère, si nous persévérons avec énergie dans la voie ouverte devant nous, et si nous réussissons, comme j'en ai la confiance, à démontrer au public canadien l'importance exceptionnelle de notre œuvre au point de vue du prestige national.

Permettez-moi, Mesdames et Messieurs, d'exprimer, en terminant, un sentiment que j'éprouve profondément et que, j'en suis certain, vous partagez avec moi.

Des rumeurs récentes et malheureusement trop bien fondées nous rappellent que nous avons, ce soir, pour la dernière fois, l'avantage de siéger sous la présidence de celui qui, avec son illustre épouse, s'est tellement identifié au peuple canadien, en s'intéressant à tous ses besoins, en aidant à tous ses progrès, que nons nous étions habitués à les considérer comme des nôtres. Et nous nous étions flattés de l'illusion qu'à raison des liens de puissante sympathie qui nous attachent à eux, leur séjour au milieu de nous pourrait se prolonger indéfiniment. Nous les avons vu s'associer généreusement à tous nos travaux philantropiques, à toutes nos œuvres d'avancement social. Lord Aberdeen a été le digne représentant de la grande souveraine dont la sagesse administrative nous a valu les libertés politiques dont nous jouissons. L'illustre compagne de Son Excellence nous a donné ici le reflet des vertus individuelles et des qualités sociales qui distinguent cette reine illustre.

La Société royale manquerait donc à son plus pressant devoir si elle ne profitait de cette occasion pour exprimer à Leurs Excellences sa reconnaissance des sollicitudes qu'elles lui ont manifestées à toute occasion, ainsi que les profonds regrets qu'elle a ressentis en apprenant leur départ. prochain. Et s'il est un adoucissement possible aux émotions soulevées par cette séparation inattendue, c'est celui occasionné par la pensée que Leurs Excellences conserveront un bon et durable souvenir du peuple canadien, qui les a si bien appréciés et qui ne les oubliera pas.

la Claire Fontaine, to be found Mr. Benjamin Sulte explained

Mr. Nérée Beauchemin read a poem, in his recently published volume of verse. the origin of the word Ottawa and the reason why the river of that name has been so-called. Abbé Gosselin expressed the regrets felt by all at the approaching departure of Their Excellencies Lord and Lady Aberdeen. Sir James Grant, Hon. J. W. Longley, Sir Henri Joly de Lotbinière, Sir Sanford Fleming, Hon. Gédéon Ouimet, spoke of the work being accomplished by the Royal Society, and also of the language

spoken by the French Canadians; all eulogized Their Excellencies in terms of great sympathy.

SESSION III. (May 26th.)

The Royal Society re-assembled at 10 a.m., for the purpose of business, the President in the chair.

The Honorary Secretary read the following report from the committee appointed to name officers for the ensuing year :

That the following gentlemen be nominated:

1. For President, Thomas C. Keefer, Esq., C. M.G., C. E.

2. For Vice-President, the Reverend Professor Clark, LL.D., of Trinity University.

3. For Honorary Secretary, Sir John Bourinot, K.C.M.G.

4. For Honorary Treasurer, Dr. James Fletcher.

On motion of Sir Sandford Fleming, seconded by Professor Macoun, the foregoing report was unanimously adopted, and the officers named therein consequently elected for the ensuing year.

Mr. Deville, secretary of Section III., made the following report from that section:

Sir S. Fleming reported that the Committee appointed to press upon the Government the claims of the society, to have suitable accommodation in the proposed National Museum, had had an interview with the Premier, the Right Honourable Sir Wilfrid Laurier, G.C.M.G., and had submitted to him, the following memorial; to which he promised to give his most earnest consideration :

"TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE Governor GenERAL IN COUNCIL :

"The memorial of the Royal Society of Canada respectfully showeth : That during the last sixteen years, this society has repeatedly directed the attention of the Government, and people of Canada, to the great necessity for the erection of a building at the capital of the Dominion, for the purpose of a National Museum;

"That such a building is absolutely required, among other purposes, as a permanent home for the magnificent geological collection,the fruit of half a century's scientific labour;

"That the members of the society are gratified to learn that the erection of such a building, in a suitable locality, is favourably considered by the Government;

"That the Royal Society of England for two hundred years has rendered important services to the mother country, and has always been recognized and liberally aided by the Imperial Parliament, and has been provided with accommodation in buildings erected by the State;

Proc. 1898. G.

"That the Royal Society of Canada has been established and continues to be aided by Parliament, and that the highest aim and purpose of the society is to render corresponding services to the Dominion, as its prototype in London has so long rendered to the mother country;

"That the Royal Society has been recognized, since its establishment as having rendered good public service, and has already accumulated many valuable works, received from all parts of the world, in exchange for its publications, embracing the annual proceedings of over four hundred scientific and other learned societies in every civilized nation, and that these are not available for public use for want of suitable rooms in which to place them;

"That the Royal Society of Canada has taken an important position in the world of science and letters, and that its transactions have a very wide circulation, and are sought for and valued by learned societies in the chief cities of Europe and America;

"That the Government of Canada from the first has given evidence of a wise liberality which it has been the constant aim of the society to merit;

"Wherefore, it is respectfully submitted that in the erection of a building for a National Museum, it is desirable that suitable accommodation be made for the Royal Society of Canada.

"On behalf of the Royal Society.

F. G. MARCHAND,

President.

THOS. C. KEEFER,

Vice-President.

JOHN GEO. BOURINOT,

Secretary.

BENJAMIN SULTE.

GEORGE M. DAWSON.

SANDFORD FLEMING."

Mr. Deville reported the following recommendations from Section III.:

"ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA,

"OTTAWA, 25th May, 1898.

"At a meeting of Section III., held on the 25th May, 1898, the following motion was adopted:

"That following the recommendation of Council, at the meeting of 1897, this section recommends that Prof. Chapman be placed on the. retired list.'

"E. DEVILLE,

"Secretary."

"ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA,

OTTAWA, 25th May, 1898.

"At a meeting of Section III., held on the 25th May, 1898, the following resolution was adopted:

"That this section recommends to the society, to ask Council to appoint a committee to draw the attention of the Government to the important suggestions contained in Mr. Keefer's paper, for keeping open the St. Lawrence River, below Montreal, in winter.'

"E. DEVILLE,

"Secretary."

The foregoing recommendations were duly adopted: the first, on motion of Dr. Girdwood, seconded by Mgr. Hamel; the second, on motion of Professor Cox, seconded by Dr. Hoffmann.

On motion of Colonel Denison, seconded by Dr. Stewart, Rule 6 was suspended, and Dr. George R. Parkin, C. M.G., of Toronto, was elected a Fellow of Section II., in place of Professor Roberts, placed on the retired list, in accordance with the unanimous recommendation of the said section.

On motion of Abbé Gosselin, seconded by Mr. Sulte, Rule 6 was suspended, and Mr. Léon Gérin was elected a Fellow of Section I., in accordance with the unanimous recommendation of said section.

The Royal Society then adjourned until the following day at 10 a.m.

SESSION IV. (May 26th.)

A public meeting was held at 8.30 p.m., in the Assembly Hall of the Normal School, and Mr. Gilbert Parker delivered an address on "The Art of Fiction," to a large audience. Professor Clark presided, and Their Excellencies the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen were present.

CONCLUDING SESSION (May 27th.)

The society resumed its deliberations on Friday morning, at 10 a.m., the President in the chair.

REPORTS OF SECTIONS.

The four sections then made their usual reports, which are as follow :

Rapport de la Section I.

Première section. Réunions des 25-27 mai 1898. Présents: MM. Tanguay, Marchand, Gosselin, DeCelles, Beauchemin, Sulte; aussi M. P.-B. Casgrain, délégué de la Société littéraire et historique de Québec; M. Rouer Roy, délégué de la Société des Antiquaires de Montréal; le

capitaine J.-E. Bernier, promoteur d'une route pour atteindre le pôle nord.

Présidence de Mr. Tanguay.

Ouvrages lus et acceptés pour notre prochain volume:

1.-M. Dionne : Pierre Bédard.

2.-M. Legendre le Comte de Frontenac.

3.-M. Roy les Barons de Saint-Castin.

4.-M. Lemay Trois Sonnets rustiques.

:

5.-M. Le Moine: Québec en 1837-38.

6.-M. DeCelles: Correspondance officielle de 1834.

7.—M. Routhier: Traits du Jubilé de la Reine.

8.-M. Gosselin M. de Saint- Valier et son Temps.

9.-M. Sulte la Mort de Cavelier de la Salle.

10.-M. Sulte: le Commerce de France avec le Canada avant 1760.

Nous avons examiné la carte du pôle nord dressée par le capitaine Bernier et entendu les explications que celui-ci nous a données sur son projet d'atteindre le pôle en suivant le courant de la Sibérie qui vient à la côte est du Groënland.

Sur la proposition de M. Gosselin, appuyée par M. Marchand, la section élit pour membre de la Société royale, M. Léon Gérin, avocat, auteur de plusieurs travaux remarquables publiés dans la Science sociale, de Paris, et ailleurs.

Les élections pour l'année qui commence ont nommé M. DeCelles président de la section, M. Dionne, vice-président, et M. Sulte, secrétaire. Le tout respectueusement soumis.

BENJAMIN SULTE,

Secrétaire.

CYPRIEN TANGUAY,

Président.

Report of Section II.

Three sessions of this section were held, at which the following papers were read :—

1. "The Loyalist-Makers of Canada: Their Devotion, their Sufferings and their Influence," by Sir John Bourinot, K.C.M.G.

2.-"The Rationale of a Second Chamber in Parliamentary Government," by Mr. G. Hague, General Manager of the Merchants Bank of Canada. Presented by Sir John Bourinot.

3. "The Valley of the Ottawa during the Seventeenth Century," by Mr. Benjamin Sulte.

4.-" A Monograph of the Exact Sites of Historic Places and Events in the Province of New Brunswick." (Contributions to the History of New Brunswick, No. 4), by William F. Ganong, Fh.D., M.A. Presented by Sir John Bourinot.