held at the Royal Geographical Society, Kensington Gore, London, on Thursday, 13 November 1947 at 4.45 p.m.
38 members and visitors were present
The President (Mr. G. Seligman) announced that the minutes of the last meeting were available for inspection and would be signed at the conclusion of the meeting.
1. The President’s Report. The total membership and circulation now stood at 448, an increase of 77 since the report of 14 May 1947, made up as follows:
It was gratifying that the Society was receiving a continual small influx of students. The President hoped some of these would find their future life’s work in the study of glaciology. He was sure members would consider the state of the Society a satisfactory one, seeing that it was not a year since the first appearance of the new Journal and the initiation of efforts to make the Society’s activities known throughout the world. In November 1946 the membership of the Society was 128.
With regard to the Journal of Glaciology, the Society’s thanks were due to the Royal Society for their Grant in Aid of Publications which would cover about one-third of the printing costs next year. So far there had been no difficulty in filling the Journal’s pages, in fact, a bigger number could be published if the Society could afford to do so. Contributions, however, were always necessary in order to maintain the Journal’s vitality and would, the President hoped, be forthcoming.
The Snow Survey 1946–7 had entailed a great deal of work and the Society’s thanks were due to the many observers who had sent in reports and also particularly to Mr. E. L. Hawke, who, with the able assistance of Mr. D. L. Champion, had organized and carried out this heavy task.
The Committee had decided the time had come to ask members to pay their subscriptions by Banker’s Order. It was hoped that as many as found it convenient would do so and members were reminded that their subscriptions in one form or another were due on 1 January 1948.
The President concluded: “I think it will be agreed that the brevity of this report indicates that the Society’s business is running smoothly.”
2. The Society’s Finances. The accounts, which had been circulated to members, were for the period 31 July 1945, the date of the renewal of the Society’s activities, to 31 December 1946. There was a deficit of £53 5s. od. An estimate made for the current year to 31 December 1947 showed that this deficit would be wiped out and the Society would commence the year 1948 with a small credit balance. The accounts were passed unanimously.
A vote of thanks to the Honorary Auditors was passed unanimously.
3. The Election of Officers and Committee for 1948. Mr. W. V. Lewis, Mr. D. L. Champion and Mr. G. Hattersley-Smith were elected to the Committee on the retirement in rotation of Dr. K. S. Sandford and Messrs. H. MacRobert and L. C. W. Bonacina. Mr. W. H. Ward’s election to the Committee was confirmed.
4. The Appointment of Auditors for 1948. Major W. M. Roberts and Mr. V. L. Evans were again unanimously elected as auditors.
5. Future Meetings and Papers. The President reported that the following meetings had been arranged, but were subject to alteration:
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At Oxford in February, papers by Capt. J. R. F. Joyce on the Stone Runs of the Falkland Islands and Mr. G. Seligman on Some Aspects of Snow and Ice.
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In London in April, a paper by Dr. A. Farrington of the Royal Irish Academy on Glacial Drifts in the Leinster Chain.
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In London in May, a joint meeting with the British Rheologists Club. A discussion on the comparison of the flow of ice and other solids had been suggested. Dr. M. F. Perutz had agreed to open the discussion on behalf of the Society.
6. Any other routine business. The President said that so far as was known no glaciological papers had been received for the meeting of the LU.G.G. at Oslo in 1948. While it was understandable that heavy arrears of work made it difficult to write papers at the present moment, it was to be regretted that no glaciological papers from Great Britain would be communicated to the Meeting.
7. The President then invited Mr. J. M. Wordie to take the Chair for the reading of Mr. H. F. P. Herdman’s paper entitled “The Southern Pack Ice.”
(A report of this paper will appear in the next issue of the Journal.)
