Address of welcome to the members of the Executive Commitee of the International Council of Scientific Unions meeting in the rooms of the Royal Society on 4 December 1945

Abstract

Throughout the 283 years of its existence the Royal t Society has been intimately concerned with promoting cordial and familiar relations between British scientists and those of other countries. For 222 years, indeed, it has had a special Officer, the Foreign Secretary, whose duty it is to deal with communications with foreign scientists. The Royal Society, after the first world war, took a leading part in the formation of the International Scientific Unions and the International Council of the Scientific Unions; and during the second world war it maintained both its connexions with foreign scientists so far as they were within reach and its faith that these inters national organizations must be started up again as soon as possible after the war was over. It is a particular pleasure, therefore, to the Society that the International Council is meeting here to-day in its rooms and it is my most agreeable duty to give you all the warmest possible welcome from the Society—and indeed from all British scientists.