▁the ▁vast ▁proport ions ▁which ▁the ▁Sh ows ▁have ▁att ained ▁in ▁recent ▁years ". ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Council ▁and , ▁from ▁ 1 8 5 2 ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 2 ▁Vice - Pres idents . ▁▁ ▁Upon ▁his ▁death , ▁his ▁place ▁as ▁Vice - Pres ident ▁was ▁taken ▁by ▁Lord ▁Sk el mers dale ▁and ▁the ▁President ▁was ▁the ▁Prince ▁of ▁Wales , ▁a ▁shooting ▁companion ▁of ▁Sir ▁William ' s ▁son . ▁ ▁Sir ▁William ▁served ▁also ▁as ▁President ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 4 - 5 ▁when ▁he ▁head ed ▁the ▁Society ' s ▁de putation ▁to ▁the ▁Universal ▁Ex hib ition ▁in ▁Paris ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁" rece ived , ▁both ▁by ▁the ▁Emperor , ▁the ▁Minister s , ▁and ▁the ▁learned ▁Soci eties ▁of ▁that ▁Capital ▁with ▁marked ▁cour tes y ." ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁ob itu ary , ▁it ▁was ▁said ▁that " ... ample ▁testim ony ▁should ▁be ▁bor ne ▁to ▁the ▁un we ar ied ▁energy ▁which ▁Sir ▁William ▁Mil es ▁displayed ▁in ▁everything ▁he ▁under to ok . ▁▁ ▁No ▁day ▁was ▁too ▁long ▁for ▁him ▁and ▁no ▁obst acle ▁too ▁great ▁to ▁be ▁sur mount ed ... ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁end owed ▁with ▁great ▁prompt itude ▁of ▁decision ▁and ▁although ▁he ▁required ▁his ▁dec isions ▁to ▁be ▁carried ▁out ▁to ▁the ▁very ▁letter , ▁and ▁enfor ced ▁them ▁where ▁necessary , ▁there ▁always ▁pre domin