(Laughter) Lord Rayleigh's Brilliant Piece Of
Mathematical Work On The Dynamics Of Blue Sky Is A Monument To The
Application
Of mathematics to a subject of supreme difficulty, and on
the subject of refraction of light he has pointed out
The way towards
finding all that has to be known, though he has ended his work by
admitting that the explanation of the fundamentals of the reflection and
refraction of light is still wanting and is a subject for the efforts of
the British Association for the Advancement of Science. But there is
still another subject, electricity and the electric light, and here
again Lord Rayleigh's work is fundamental, and one may hope from the
suggestions it contains that electricity may yet be put upon the level
of ordinary mechanics, and that the electrician may be able to weigh out
electric quantities as easily and readily as a merchant could a quantity
of tea or sugar. (Applause.) It remains for me only to fulfil the
commission which Professor Cayley has entrusted to me of expressing his
great regret that his engagements in England prevented his being with
us, and in his name to vacate the chair of president of the Association
and to ask Lord Rayleigh to take his place as President for 1884.
(Applause.)
[_Lord Rayleigh then delivered the Presidential Address, a copy of
which is appended to this work._]
Lord Rayleigh was loudly applauded at the conclusion of his address.
HON. DR. CHAVEAU in an eloquent speech in French proposed a vote of
thanks to Lord Rayleigh for the interesting sketch he had given of
modern science.
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