BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18366, 27 April 1925, Page 8

BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

PRINCE OF WALES AS PRESIDENT. (raOH OTTB OWN COHSBSrO.TDBOT.) LONDON, March 10. The Prince of Wales has agreed to accept the presidency of the British Association on the occasion of the Association's visit to Oxford in 1926. The final decision was reached a day or two ago, when a special meeting of the General Committee of the Association was held, and Sir Ernest Rutherford, who was in the chair, proposed the Prince's election as president. The proposal was unanimously adopted, and it was stated by Sir Ernest that his Boyal Highness "had already agreed to aecept office if elected. In aceepting the presidency of the British Association the Prince of Wales is carrying on the tradition of his House. Active Royal participation in the meetings, as Mr Howarth has pointed ont in his review of the history of the Association, was initiated by the trince Consort. He was no stranger to the Association when he occupied its chair at the Aberdeen meeting in 1859. Thus Murchison, as president of the Southampton meeting in 1546, stated that that meeting would be "rendered memorable in our annals by the presence of the illustrious Consort of our beloved Sovereign, who, participating in our pursuits, in some of which his Boyal Highness is so well versed, thus demonstrates that our Association .is truly national." Murchison, no doubt, felt that this mark of favour went far to discountenance the ignorant opposition to the Association whieh somewhat disconcerted him about this time. The Boyal patronage was extended to the Association by King Edward in 1904, and was continued by his suecesgor. To King George the Association addressed loyal messages on his aeceegion to the Throne, and again in 1860 at Cardiff the members present offered thoir congratulations npon the successful labours of the Prince of Wales during Ti«pc-ial tout.