May 28, I860.] PROGRESS OF THE SOCIETY. 207 



bock, and published in 1844, under the superintendence of the 

 Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. This new series is 

 edited by Mr. Charles 0. Dayman, a.m., and contains all the objects 

 in Vice-Admiral Smyth's cycle. 



An atlas will shortly be published, containing four maps of the 

 stars and two maps of the world, on Sir Henry James's geometrical 

 projection of two-thirds of the sphere ; with a table, for the con- 

 struction of maps on this projection, on any scale that may be 

 required. The celestial maps on this projection possess the peculiar 

 advantage of presenting at one view the two poles and all the cir- 

 cumpolar stars within 47° of one pole, and all those within 125° 

 of the central meridian, 



Finally, it affords me great pleasure to notice the successful pro- 

 gress of this Society during the past years, which has been the sub- 

 ject of comment in the several Council Eeports submitted to the 

 Fellows at the Anniversary meetings, and may be seen at once by 

 comparing the income, which amounted, ten years ago, to only 

 778/., while in 1859 it reached 347 H. During the above period, 

 3000?. has been expended on the Library and Map-Eooms, and fur- 

 niture and fittings, besides which a sum of 2500/. has been added to 

 the Permanent Fund. 



The result of these ten years may be thus briefly stated : — The 

 collections in the Library and Map-Eooms have more than doubled^ 

 the number of Fellows has more than trebled, and the income has 

 increased /i;e;/b?J. In 1849 the revenue admitted of an outlay of 

 less than 100/. on publications ; in 1859 it warranted an expenditure 

 of little short of 1000?. 



Sincerely do I congratulate you on this state of your affairs. 

 The progress of the Society of late years has been rapid, but at 

 the same time steady and continuous. Our increasing numbers, 

 the large attendance at our meetings, the character of the com- 

 munications which we receive, — all tend to prove that the labours 

 of the Society are widely recognised and appreciated. And, as it 

 seems to me, it ought to be so ; for I know no country in the world 

 to which the results of geographical investigation are calculated to 

 be of greater value than they are to England. "With an empire that 

 extends to every quarter of the globe, and embraces within its rule 

 almost every variety of the human race, and with a commerce that 

 fills every sea and occupies every port, the English have, perhaps, 



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