a portion of the heat is polarized, when the axes of the crystals are at right angles to each other; and these results were confirmed by M. Melloni.
But Professor Forbes did not allow the polarization of heat to rest solely upon the results obtained with tourmaline. By employing bundles of plates of mica, and adjusting them at proper angles, he not only obtained much more decisive results, particularly with heat from a non-luminous source, but such results as go to establish the singular fact, that the degree of the polarization of heat is dependent on the nature of its source. He has further shown the depolarization of heat by the interposition of a mica plate, and its circular polarization by means of two total internal reflections in an interposed rhomb, or two prisms of rock-salt.
The Council consider that they cannot better testify their estimation of the discoveries and experimental investigations of Professor Forbes, than by awarding to him a Medal, bequeathed by its distinguished founder, as a premium to the author of discoveries tending to improve the theories of heat and light.
The Statutes relating to the Election of Council and Officers
having been read from the Chair, and the Rev. P. Jennings, D.D.,
and Joseph Smith, Esq., having, with the consent of the Society,
been nominated Scrutators, to assist the Secretaries in examining
the lists, the votes of the Fellows present were collected.
The Scrutators reported the result of the ballot to be as follows:
President.—The Marquis of Northampton.
Treasurer.—John William Lubbock, Esq., M.A., V.P.
Secretaries.—Peter Mark Roget, M.D.; Samuel Hunter Christie, Esq., M.A.
Foreign Secretary.—William Henry Smyth, Capt. R.N.
Thomas Galloway, Esq., M.A.; Thomas Graham, Esq.; Sir John F. W. Herschel, Bart., M.A., V.P.; Francis Kiernan, Esq.; George Rennie, Esq.; John Forbes Royle, M.D., V.P.; Rev. Adam Sedgwick, M.A.; Robert Bentley Todd, M.D.; Charles Wheatstone, Esq.; Rev. William Whewell, M.A.; Rev. Robert
Willis, M.A.Whereupon the above-named gentlemen were declared duly elected; and thanks were voted to the Scrutators for their trouble on this occasion.
