My Lord Wrottesley,—I beg leave to offer a few observations on the distribution of our Medals, but not with the intention of finding fault with their present allotment.

The distinguished foreigner whose valuable discoveries you have so ably explained to us is fully entitled to a Copley Medal. I join also most cordially in the justice of the award of the first Royal Medal to that eminent astronomer who has organized a system for the discovery of new planets, and who has himself already added ten to their number. With the researches rewarded by the second Royal Medal I am entirely unacquainted; but I am willing to assume that they have been duly considered and justly rewarded.

There is, however, an instrument to which we have given hospitality during many months in these apartments, which I think highly deserving of a medal; and I had hoped that on the present occasion it might at least have been considered worthy of being placed amongst the list of candidates for that honour. I allude to the admirable machine for Calculating and Printing Tables by Differences, and producing a mould for the stereotype plates to print the computed results—an instrument we owe to the genius and persevering labour of Mr. Scheutz, of Stockholm. A Committee of the Royal Society has already reported upon the machine, and I can myself bear testimony to the care and attention which our Secretary bestowed upon that valuable report.