The Administration of the Royal Society

Abstract

After more than 300 years of continuous existence in London, the Royal Society and its 840 Fellows have achieved a worldwide reputation for scientific excellence. This arises not only from their individual prestige and eminence, but also from the superb manner in which the affairs of the Society itself are administered. Here the author is able to reveal some of the reasons for this success, proceeding in an analytical, rather than a critical, approach, describing the Fellowship, the Council, the scientific activities, the publications and the Society's role in international scientific affairs amongst other aspects.     

Proceedings of the Royal Scottish geographical society

The supply of statistics continues to expand sharply as new research turns up great quantities of valuable material. A need may be demonstrated for a device to make possible the storage of related statistical matters in a spatially ordered set of patterns on maps. A sequence of these maps would then be readily available for reference purpose.

Four aims suggest themselves in such an exercise. First, there should be good unit area comparability or a method to show the varying base size of most statistical reporting units. Second, a multi‐component, multi‐dimensional representation of the data is essential. Third, a comparison of input and output data patterns should be possible. Fourth, there must be general retrievability of the statistical sources.

A large amount of annual census data in Scotland has provided the main raw material for the development of the number patterns. In this instance the relationship of grain crops to the regularly croppable area is used as the subject. Any relateable populations may be prepared and stored in the same way. The result is a valuable store of reference material which reveals the major patterns over a sequence of years. No decoding is necessary and the approach lends itself to machine scribing on maps.     

皇城相府 峥嵘妙迹铎奇名

太行山腹,大地苍茫;世事沉浮,皇城相府。历史上有这样一个人,"房姚比就韵,李杜并诗豪",他是清朝文渊阁大学士,吏部尚书加三级,康熙皇帝35年经筵讲官,《明史》《康熙字典》《三朝圣训》《政治典训》《大清一统史》的总裁官——陈廷敬。文风昌盛,陈氏浸染,使得地处太行腹地的陈廷敬故里——皇城相府,今古同辉,名扬四海。一重门,打开一方天地。一进院,展现一个世界。庭院深深深几许,在历史的冲洗下,如烟消云散般消逝了所有的过往,只留下这一座气势恢弘的深宅大院。     

Royal Scottish Geographical Society

GENERAL

The World Food Problem 1950–1980. By David Grigg. 276pp, 87 tables, 18 maps, 19 figures, index, Blackwell, Oxford 1985.

CARTOGRAPHY

Keyguide to Information Sources in Cartography. By A. G. Hodgkiss and A. F. Tatham. 24 x 15.3, 253pp, Mansell Publishing Limited, London, 1986. £25.00.

Victorian Maps of the British Isles. By David Smith. 29.5 x 20.7, 176pp, 8 colour plates and numerous monochrome illustrations, index. B T Batsford., London, 1985. £30.00.

HISTORICAL

Down to Earth: one hundred and fifty years of the British Geological Survey. By H. E. Wilson. 24 x 15, 188 pp., Scottish Academic Press, Edinburgh, 1985. £9.75.

EDUCATIONAL

Volcanoes: By A. Scarth, 30x21, 17pp., Coursework Supplement No. 5, Department of Geography, University of Dundee, 1985. 50p.