life-members to 34, and (as a consequence) the reduction of subscribing members to 180. It may be here remarked that the ordinary members who paid £5 each to become life-members, did so to help the building fund. The report further stated that through Mr. Brett, the Treasurer, Mr. Cripps, of 8 Verulam place had given materials for a museum, and an additional ten guineas to a previous donation of one guinea. Four pounds had been saved by the reduced price of newspapers in consequence of the abolition of the Government stamp. This, however, though not anticipated at the time, except by the treasurer, proved to be a greater boon to the public than to the Institution, as many persons took to purchasing newspapers instead of joining the society to read them. The Rev. J. Stent, in an address, dwelt chiefly on the importance of Mechanical knowledge to the female housekeeper, and caused some amusement by the homeliness of his examples to which mechanical principles night be applied. Dr. Hale spoke at some length on the present advantages of education over that of earlier times. Mr. Skinner sang “The British Man of War”. Mr T. B. Brett gave a humorous rhyming address (which, said the Hastings News was quite a novelty, and gave great satisfaction). Mr. W. Ransom dilated on Mechanics’ Institutions as a means of healthful recreation and as places that might be resorted to for the highest mental culture. Mr Selmes proposed a vote to the chairman, and the meeting broke up after singing “God Save the Queen” and “Partant pour la Syrie”[a]. The financial result of the soirée was a profit of £2 7s. 6d. It should have been mentioned int he report that the St. Leonards Choral Society handed over to the Institution the sum of £12, as the proceeds of a concert at the Assembly Rooms (already described under the head of Amusements), which helped to change an adverse balance of £6 19s. to a favourable one of £14 13s. 11d.
A Lecture on Pneumatics to a full room was given by Mr. Butler, on the 13th of November, some interesting experiments added to the interest of the said lecture.
“Wit and Humour” was the title of a lecture given by Mr. Grossmith, of London, in the Assembly Rooms for the Institution, with which the audience were convulsed with laughter.
Atmospheric, Celestial and Meteorological Phenomena
The rare conjunction of Mercury, Venus and Mars, and the occultation of Mars by Mercury on the 8th of February was not observed at St. Leonards, but when seen two days later they were even then very near to each other in appearance. Saturn was also stationary on the first-named day, from which stellar combination was predicted “Severe wintry weather.” On the said Saturday night on which the closeness of the planets was clearly visible, the thermometer at Hastings fell to 16 degrees, and at Uckfield to 13. The foam of the sea left on the beach and among the rocks by the receding waves was frozen into dense masses. On the night of the 12th also, when Jupiter was in quartile to Herschel[b], and Saturn in quartile to -
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