RUSI's Royal Charter

[handwritten: 22 Feb 1860] 

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“THE PROMOTION AND ADVANCEMENT OF NAVAL AND MILITARY SCIENCE AND LITERATURE.” Charter of Incorporation. VICTORIA, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defendant of the Faith, to all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting: 

Whereas Our right trusty and right entirely beloved Cousin and Councillor, Alergnon Percy, Duke of Northumberland, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Vice- Admiral, and others of Our loving subjects, have, by their Petition, humbly represented to Us that they are Members of a Society, established in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, under the title of “The Naval and Military Library and Museum.” but since called “The United Services Institution,” of which His late Majesty King William the Fourth was the founder; 

That such Society has sedulously encouraged and extended Naval and Military Science and Literature, and that it would further tend to the promotion and advancement of Naval and Military Science and Literature if We granted to the said Algernon Percy, Duke of Northumberland, and to those who are now Members of the said Society, Our Royal Charter of Incorporation; 

Now know ye, that We, being desirous of encouraging a design so laudable and salutary, of Our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion have willed, granted, and declared, and do by these presents, for Us, Our heirs, 

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and successors will, grant, and declare, that the said Algernon Percy, Duke of Northumberland, and such other of Our loving subjects as are now Members of the said Society, or shall from time to time become Members thereof, according to such regulations or bye-laws as shall be hereafter framed or enacted, and their successors, shall, during such time as they shall respectively continue to be such Members, be by virtue of these presents one body politic and corporate, by the name of “THE ROYAL UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTION,” and for the purposes aforesaid and by the name aforesaid shall have perpetual succession and a common seal, with full power and authority to alter, vary, break, and renew the same at their discretion, and by the same name to sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, in every court of Us, Our heirs and successors, and be for ever able and capable in the law to purchase, receive, possess, hold, and enjoy, to them and their successors, any goods and chattels whatsoever, and as well those as now belong to the said institution as those which may be hereafter acquired ; and also to be able and capable in the law (notwithstanding the Statue of Mortmain) to take, purchase, hold, and enjoy to them and their successors a Hall or House, and any such messuages, lands, tenements, or hereditaments whatsoever as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of the said Society, the yearly value of which, including the site of the said Hall or House, shall not exceed in the whole the sum of two thousand pounds, computing the same respectively at the rack-rent which might have been gotten for the same respectively at the time of the purchase or acquisition thereof ; and to act in all the concerns of the said body politic and corporate as effectually, to all intents and purposes, as any other of Our liege subjects in Our said kingdom not being under any disability might do in their respective concerns. 

And We do hereby Grant Our especial licence and authority unto all and every person and persons, bodies politic and corporate, otherwise competent, to grant, sell, alien, and convey in mortmain unto and to the said body politic and corporate and their successors, any messuages, 

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lands, tenements and hereditaments, not exceeding such annual value as aforesaid. 

And Our will and pleasure is, and We do further will and declare, that there shall be Patrons and Vice-Patrons, and a President and Vice-Presidents, of the said Institution, and that the said Algernon Percy, Duke of Northumberland, shall be the first President under this Our Royal Charter of Incorporation, and that the Chair, the Vice-Chair and the elected members ,, to be chosen by a General Meeting of the said Society, shall be the Council of the said body politic and corporate, and until such Members of the Council shall be elected, the present Members of the Council of the said body politic and corporate. 

And We do further will and declare, That there shall be a General Meeting of the Members of the said Society once in each year or oftener, and that if necessary the same shall be adjourned from time to time, and that the said General Meetings and the Council shall have the entire direction and management of the concern of the said body politic and corporate, in the manner and subject to the regulations hereinafter mentioned. 

And We do further will and declare, That the said General Meetings shall from time to time make and establish such bye-laws and vary, and alter, and revoke the same, as they shall deem to be useful and necessary, for the election of President, Vice-Presidents, and Council, and for the regulation of the said body politic and corporate, for the admission and expulsion of Members, and of Honorary and Foreign Members, so that such bye-laws be not repugnant to these presents or to the laws and statutes of this Our realm ; and shall and may also enter into any resolution and make any regulation respecting the affairs of the said body politic and corporate that may be necessary and proper, and shall not be repugnant to these presents, or to the said laws and statutes. 

And We do further will and declare, That the General Meetings and adjourned General Meetings shall take place 

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at such time as may be fixed by the said Council, and that the present rules, regulations, or bye-laws of the said Society, so far as they are not inconsistent with these presents, shall continue in force until the same shall be altered by a General Meeting. 

And We do further will and declare, That notwithstanding anything herein contained, the Council shall have the sole management of the income and funds of the said body politic and corporate, the appointment of Secretary, Curator, and such officers, attendants, and servants as the Council shall think necessary or useful ; and also the entire management and superintendence of all the other affairs of the said Society ; and shall and may, but not inconsistently with or contrary to the provisions of this Our Charter, or any existing bye-law or laws, or the laws and statutes of this Our realm, do all such acts and deeds as shall appear to them necessary for carrying into effect the objects and views of the said body politic and corporate. 

Provided always, and We do further will and declare, That the council shall from time to time, and at least once in each year, render to a General Meeting a full account of their proceedings, and that every Member of the Society may, at all reasonable times, to be fixed by the Council, see and examine the receipts and payments of the said body politic and corporate. 

And We do further will and declare, That no sale, mortgage, incumbrance, or other disposition of any messuages, lands, tenements, or hereditaments belonging to the said body politic and corporate shall be made, except with the approbation and concurrence of a General Meeting. 

And We do further will and declare, That it shall be lawful for the Council of the said Institution, with the approbation and concurrence of a General Meeting, from time to time to appoint any persons to be Trustees of any part of the property of the said body politic and corporate, and to make, or direct to be made, any conveyance or transfer to such Trustees. 

In witness whereof We have caused these Our letters to be made Patent. [page 5] Witness Ourself, at Our Palace at Westminster, this twenty-second day of February, in the twenty-third year of Our reign. 

By Her Majesty’s command, 

EDMUNDS.