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CHAPTER VI 
THE DECADE 1870-1880. (By H. P. HOLLIS) 
I. 187O-1873 
In 1870 February fifty years had elapsed since the foundation of 
the Society, and this Jubilee was recognised by an attempt to secure 
a specially large attendance at the dinner, which it was then cus 
tomary to have on the day of the Annual General Meeting. A 
circular-letter was issued to Fellows inviting them to be present “ to 
make the dinner an occasion of commemorating the foundation of 
the Society fifty years since.” * M. Delaunay, the recipient of the 
Gold Medal, was at the dinner. The address delivered at the 
meeting on presentation of the medal was written by Professor 
J. C. Adams, Vice-President, and was read by him, as the President, 
Admiral Manners, was absent through illness.f 
At this February meeting, Mr. Lassell was elected President 
for the ensuing year, and Mr. Huggins and Mr. Stone retained office 
as Secretaries. The partnership did not continue long, because 
Mr. Stone was appointed to the post of H.M. Astronomer at the 
Cape, in June, on the resignation of Sir Thomas Maclear, and the 
duties of the Secretaryship were undertaken temporarily by 
Prof. Pritchard, Mr. Burr, or Mr. Dunkin. At the meeting of 
Council in November, Mr. Dunkin, of the Royal Observatory, 
Greenwich, and Mr. Huggins, were nominated Secretaries in the 
list of officers to be submitted at the February meeting. 
Mr. Proctor’s name had been proposed for the Secretaryship, 
but he declined the office as he was unable to give sufficient time 
to the duties. As he took an active part in the life of the Society 
in the years now to b.e written of, some extracts from his biography 
may not be out of place. Mr. Proctor took his degree as twenty- 
third Wrangler in i860, and without following any settled profes 
sion, occupied himself in writing occasionally on astronomical 
subjects. His first book, Saturn and its System, which took four 
years in preparation, was published in 1865. In 1866 he suffered 
* “ The dinner will be at Willis’ Rooms, at half-past 5. Price, including 
wine, 20s.” 
f He died in the following May.