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arrangements for the teaching of that subject should be placed on a broader basis, and that a professorship of protozoology should be established at the University of London. The professor, it was contemplated, would work and give lectures at the London School, but would devote the greater part of his time to research. It was ultimately decided that it would not be found possible efficiently to combine the duties of a professor of the University and a teacher at the London School, but in view of the very great importance of protozoology it was felt desirable to endeavour to secure the appointment of a professor in addition to the teacher at the London School. For this purpose the Royal Society expressed their readiness to surrender £500 from the total sum of £1,000, the allocation of which, as stated above, had been placed at their disposal; they regarded it as desirable that the professor should not be required to engage in routine teaching, but that the principal object of the professor-. ship should be research, and in view of the difficulty of obtaining an efficient professor they recommended that whoever might be appointed should hold the post only for

a time.

As the lowest sum likely, in the opinion of the Royal Society, to secure a pro- fessor of the necessary standing was £700 or £750 per annum, the Rhodes Trustees were approached by the Secretary of State, with a view to obtaining a sufficient-sum (say from £25,000 to £30,000) for the permanent endowment of a professor in protozoology and an assistant at the University of London. The Rhodes Trustees; however, did not see their way to grant more than £200 for five years for the establishment of a professorship on a temporary basis. At a meeting of the Committee on the 27th of March, 1905, it was determined to endeavour to secure the services of a professor with the £200 a year for five years from the Rhodes Trustees added to the £500 a year which the Royal Society were prepared to surrender for that purpose, and to make further efforts later on to secure, by a public appeal, sufficient funds for the permanent endowment of the chair.

The University of London was accordingly asked whether it was prepared to accept the sum of £700 for five years to establish a chair of protozoology, and in selecting the professor to consult the Royal Society. The professor was mainly to do research work, but the Committee expressed the hope that this restriction was not incompatible with the delivery by the professor of a certain number of lectures on protozoology in the course of the year dealing with his work and the progress made in the subject. A report on the work was also to be furnished annually for the information of the contributing Colonies and India. The University cordially accepted the offer, and appointed a Board of Advisers to suggest who the occupant of the chair should be, but asked that the salary of the post might, if possible, be increased to £750 per annum, an increase which the Committee have determined to make.

In future reports they hope to be able to give some account of the progress which has been made with the scheme.

38798

GENTLEMEN,

No. 09.

COLONIAL OFFICE to THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

Downing Street, December 16, 1905. WITH reference to your letter of the 22nd of May* and previous correspondence, I am directed by the Earl of Elgin to inform you that the Advisory Committee of the Tropical Diseases Research Fund has recommended to the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State has approved, the continuance of the grant of £500 to the Royal Society for the purpose of research into tropical diseases for the year 1906.

2. The Crown Agents for the Colonies have accordingly been instructed to pay this sum to the Society on their application at any time after the 31st of December.

3. The Committee are anxious to obtain periodical reports of the work done in order that the contributories to the fund may be kept informed of the method in which their contributions are being applied and be encouraged to continue and possibly increase their subsidies. Lord Elgin would accordingly be very glad if the Society could see their way to furnishing by the end of May next a progress report of the work to that date for consideration at the June meeting of the Committee. His Lordship would also be glad if a further report could be sent in the latter half of October for submission to the Committee at their meeting in November, giving the full results of the investigations for the year, in order that they may be embodied in the Committee's report for the year and be published for general information.

4. Lord Elgin will also be glad to receive for purposes of audit after the end of 1905 an account with copies of vouchers showing how the grant has been expended

in the year. A similar account will be asked for in respect of 1906.

It is not desired to give any unnecessary trouble to the Royal Society and it is hoped that it will be understood that the reports are required for the purpose of justi- fying the existence of the fund and suggesting its continuance, and the accounts as an ordinary matter of business.

&c.,

38798

I

am,

C. P. LUCAS.

December 12, 1905.

38798

GENTLEMEN,

Signed for the Committee,

WEST RIDGEWAY,

A. B. KEITH,

Chairman.

SIR,

Secretary.

No. 68.

COLONIAL OFFICE to CROWN AGENTS.

Downing Street, December 16, 1905.

I AM directed by the Earl of Elgin to inform you that he approves of your issuing from the Tropical Diseases Research Fund on application at any time after the 31st of December the sums of (1) £1,000 to the London School of Tropical Medicine; (2) £500 to the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; (3) £500 to the Royal Society.

I am, &c.,

No. 70.

COLONIAL OFFICE to THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON.

[Answered by No. 75.]

Downing Street, December 16, 1905. I AM directed by the Earl of Elgin to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 5th of December† respecting the establishment of a professorship of protozoology at the University of London.

2. The correspondence on the subject was laid before the Advisory Committee of the Tropical Diseases Research Fund at their second ordinary meeting on the 12th of December and the Committee recommended, and the Secretary of State has approved, the grant to the University in addition to the sum of £700 already allocated of the sum of £250, to be spread over five years, in order to increase the emoluments of the chair to £750 a year.

3. Lord Elgin will be glad to be informed when it is desired that the first year's grant of £750 should be paid to the University.

I am, &c.,

C. P. LUCAS.

C. P. LUCAS.

• No. 45.

† No. 65.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

9PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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