Notes

Abstract

THE following announcement of a munificent gift for scientific research appeared in Monday's Times:—Mrs. Percy Sladen, of Northbrook Park, Devonshire, in the desire to perpetuate the memory of her late husband, Mr. W. P. Sladen, sometime secretary and vice-president of the Linnean Society, has undertaken to devote the sum of 20,000l. to the promotion of scientific research, particularly in the subjects in which he was chiefly interested. She proposes to assign this sum under the name of the Percy Sladen memorial fund to certain trustees, in the first place of her own appointment, who are directed to employ the income arising therefrom, in their uncontrolled discretion, to “any research or investigation in natural science, and more especially in the sciences of zoology, geology, and anthropology.” They are also empowered, if they think fit, to accumulate the income for the purpose of fitting out, or assisting to fit out, any expedition designed to further such research. The following gentlemen, whom Mrs. Sladen has requested to be the first trustees, have consented to serve:—her brother, Dr. Tempest Anderson, of York; Mr. Bailey Saunders, Mr. Henry Bury, Dr. Henry Woodward, F.R.S., Prof. Howes, F.R.S., and Prof. Herdman, F.R.S. On the occurrence of any vacancy among these trustees, Mrs. Sladen reserves to herself the right to nominate their successors; but by the deed of endowment it is provided that eventually five trustees shall be severally nominated for a period of five years each by the following bodies in rotation, so far as they may have signified their acceptance of the power of appointment:—the Royal Society, the Linnean Society, the trustees of the British Museum, and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.