20 



Grantham having signified to the Crown his willingness to 

 resign a portion of the Manor Shore in favour of the Society, 

 and the Office of Woods and Forests having made their report, 

 an official notification was received from the Treasury, inti- 

 mating that their Lordships were ready to treat with the 

 Society for a lease of the ground; but stating that tlieir power 

 of making grants of Crown land for the benefit of scientific 

 institutions, was found to be confined to property situate 

 within the bills of mortality.^ On this point, therefore, the 

 Council have to correct an error in their last Report, in 

 which it was slated that the law had left a power with the 

 Executive, to grant whatever favor it may think fit, to 

 charitable and scientific institutions. But they have great 

 satisfaction in repeating the other part of their statement, 

 that, up to the present moment, the public functionaries 

 have manifested every disposition to favor the views of the 

 Society. 



Under these circumstances, the Council were of opinion 

 that it would still be desirable to embrace the offer of the 

 Treasury, and to obtain a long lease of the ground. But an 

 interview, which the President of the Society soon afterwards 

 had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, induced a hope 

 that the beneficial arrangement originally contemplated 

 might become practicable, if the Society would consent to 

 wait. Events, over which the Council had no control, have 

 protracted the official determination on this subject; and, 

 until it should be decided, nothing further could prudently be 



Act 56 Geo. III. C. 128. h 83. 



