COUNCIL FOR 1854. 17 



The Treasurer's report shews that the annual expenditure 

 has exceeded the receipts by the sum of £12 15s. ; the latter 

 being less than usual in the items of " admission of new mem- 

 bers," and "admission of strangers," and there having been 

 no extraordinary sources of income during the past year. 



The least favorable feature in the financial condition of the 

 Society during the past year, is the diminution of new members. 

 The Council are aware that at the present time a diminution 

 was to be looked for. Local Scientific Institutions must expect, 

 in times of great political excitement, and under circumstances 

 which involve retrenchment in the expenditure of the middle 

 and upper classes, to experience a temporary reduction of that 

 share of support which under ordinary circumstances they 

 receive from the public. If, however, this reduction proceeds 

 to any great extent, it must seriously impair the efiiciency of 

 such institutions, and involve them in difficulties. In the case 

 of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, the Council feel bound 

 to state that the number of members annually elected is not at 

 present such as to enable it to preserve, in a satisfactory con- 

 dition, the treasures of which it has already become possessed, 

 and to add to its stores those new objects of local and general 

 interest which from time to time present themselves. If we go 

 back ten years in the history of the Society, we find from the 

 annual reports, that from 1844 to 1851 inclusive, the annual 

 average of admissions is 19. During the years 1852 — 3 — 4, 

 the average is reduced to nine ; and the number admitted 

 during the past year has been only seven. It is perhaps not to 

 be expected that so high an annual average as 19 admissions 

 can be permanently maintained, but it is certain that so low an 

 average as 9 is not sufficient to balance the Society's losses by 

 resignation and death. To this point then the Council desire 

 to call the serious attention of the Society at large. They feel 

 convinced that there are many persons resident in the City of 

 York, and many more in the County, who are not members of 

 the Society, because its claims have not been urged upon them, 

 and because they are not aware that their support is required. 

 It is important that such persons should be reminded that the 

 Yorkshire Philosophical Society holds a position with which 



