EIGHTH ORDINARY MEETING. ROYAL INSTITUTION, 8th February, 1858. DR. INMAN, PRESIDENT, in the Chair. Mr. ANDREW Communicated some personal observations on the recent eruption of Vesuvius, in support of the chymical theory of volcanic action. In consequence of a public meeting, held in the same building, for the formation of the Liverpool Society of Fine Arts, on the motion of Dr. IHNE, the Society adjourned till the 15th inst. On that night a paper was read to the Society, of which the following is an abstract: ON INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION. BY WILLIAM IHNE, Esq., PH.D., V.P. THE rapid development of the means of intercommunication has changed the relations of the nations of the world. to such an extent, that the old forms of diplomatic intercourse between one people and another are no longer sufficient. Europe is fast tending to become commercially, economically, intellectually, and morally one uniform community which requires a system of law and government based upon generally acknowledged principles, and administered by a generally acknowledged authority; not to absorb or obliterate the individual notionalities, but to regulate and facilitate their intercourse and to settle the differences which must necessarily result from the wonderful activity of that intercourse. Treaties for special purposes, congresses for the settlement of occasional disputes must give way to general laws and some permanent authority. What has been accomplished to a certain extent by the several systems of confederation among different branches of the Teutonic stock, must be perfected and extended all over the world. The greatest difficulty lies in the inequality of the different states. It would be absurd to organize a federal authority in which a powerful state like England, or Russia, should have no more influence than Sweden, or Belgium. A certain scale must be fixed upon analagous to the real strength of each state. England, France, Russia, Austria, and America, might rank equally high; states like Prussia and Turkey in the second line; Spain, Sweden, Naples, Sardinia, in the third, and so on; and the number of votes of each state should be regulated so as to ensure an equitable balance of influence. Mathematical precision is unattainable, but a workable approximation to the real nature of things may be hoped for. A permanent court, composed of ambassadors of all states who voluntarily join such a confederation should regulate all international relations, subject, in the last instance, to the consent of the legislature of each state. In cases of differences or dispute, the court should give its decision on the question of right. The moral force would be great, and in all but extreme cases sufficient to ensure compliance. The appeal to force would become less and less frequent; and though it would perhaps be impossible to organize an international executive, the confederated powers would stand pledged to see the decision of the court carried out. The effect would not be the immediate abolition of all wars, but a prevention of the frequent collisions and hostile attitudes of nations against nations; minor disputes would not so easily grow into serious conflicts, and diplomatic considerations would be infused with some considerations of justice. It would not be derogatory to the most powerful state to submit to the decision of such a court. The feeling of security would promote the feeling of friendship and goodwill; the energies of all nations would be more and more diverted into the channels of useful industry, and directed to further the grand interests common to all. The scheme can be considered chimerical only, when in its totality and completeness it is compared with the present unsettled state of international affairs. But it is quite possible to lay a foundation to such an international court, which might by degrees be developed. If a few of the leading states came to an understanding, many would shortly follow, and we might hope to see the beginning of a new era in the history of Europe and the world in which thinking men would look upon the wars of France and England with the same feelings of regret and pity as we do now on those waged for many generations between England and Scotland. NINTH ORDINARY MEETING. ROYAL INSTITUTION, 22nd February, 1858. DR. INMAN, PRESIDENT, in the Chair. Mr. ROBERT LITTLE was elected an Ordinary Member. RICHARD BROOKE, Esq., F.S.A., exhibited the first report of The Liverpool Dispensary, published in the year 1799, and made observations on the list of subscribers. Papers were then read, "ON PRESERVED MILKS AND MEATS," by C. BELL, Esq. in which that gentleman resumed the consideration of the important scientific and practical question of encasing various articles of food, so that they might be kept in a fresh and nutritious condition for a number of years. He opened, in illustration, several canisters of milk, chocolate, eggs, and mutton, all of which were in excellent preservation. [See page 65.] "ON A NEW METHOD OF MANUFACTURING STEEL, by WILLIAM CLAY, Esq. Before describing his process of making cheap steel, Mr. Clay referred to that of manufacturing iron; the ore being first taken from the blast furnace in the form of "pig-iron," which was a composition of carbon and that metal, and then refined by the puddling operations, by which the carbon to a certain degree was removed and "wrought iron" produced. To obtain steel a further series of operations had to be gone through, carbon being again united to the iron, but not in the original proportions of the pig-iron. His object was to remove from the pig-iron such a portion of carbon as would give it the composition of steel, and the difficulty lay in removing the necessary quantity. A plan for doing this had been patented in 1850, an excellent wrought steel being produced. Mr. Clay then explained his method of producing puddled steel, and exhibited numerous specimens which illustrated its strength, fracture, homogeneousness and power to receive in the lathe a very high polish. He considered it a metal exceedingly well adapted, from its lightness, strength, and cheapness, for ship-building purposes, and the permanent way and rolling stock of railways. TENTH ORDINARY MEETING. ROYAL INSTITUTION, 8th March, 1858. The REV. H. H. HIGGINS, M.A., Sen. V.P., in the Chair. Attention was drawn to the approaching Solar Eclipse, and the arrangements which had been made for members going on to the central line of eclipse, on the Saturday prior to the event. The following paper was then read: ON THE INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY ON THE ROMAN MATRIMONIAL LAW. BY CARL RETSLAG, PH.D.BERLIN; CHAPTER I. The THE Eastern world of antiquity, with all the wonderful productions of its fancy, startles us by its strangeness. We must strain our mind and force our imagination in order to understand its ideas, works, and actions. Greek life lies already nearer to us, its arts and literature already seem to have proceeded from a spirit which is more related to ours. We recognise in the public transactions of that nation the sympathies and passions of our own world. But even Greece, if we look deeper into her private life, has still enough which is strange to us, |