At a Special Meeting of the Society, held on the 6 th 

 April last, for the purpose of choosing a new President, 

 before proceeding to that business. Dr. Merryweather 

 favoured the meeting by reading a brief but interesting 

 address '' On the Life and Character of Mr, Belcher,'' 

 and concluded by moving the following resolution : — 

 "That this meeting, being deeply sensible of the loss 

 sustained by the society, in the removal by death of 

 Henry Belcher, Esq., desires to place on record an ex- 

 prsssion of its sense of the curtesy, impartiality, and 

 ability invariably manifested by him in the discharge of 

 his duties, as well as of the many important services 

 rendered by him in the furtherance of the objects of 

 this society -, and that a copy of this resolution be trans- 

 mitted through the secretaries to his relatives, with the 

 assurance of the perfect sympathy of the society on the 

 melancholy event," — which was unanimously adopted, 

 and ordered, together with Dr. Merryweather' s address, 

 to be recorded in the minutes of the society. 



On proceeding to the election of a new President, 

 Robert Stephenson, Esq., M.P., was unanimously 

 chosen to that office ; his high literary and scientific 

 acquirements qualifying him in no ordinary degree to 

 confer honour and benefit on the institution ; and 

 although Mr. Stephenson has, through the medium of 

 your council, recommended that the President of the 

 society should, in order to render his services efficient, 

 be resident in Whitby, your council are of opinion that 

 the interests of the society will not suffer, but on the con- 

 trary, be largely promoted, by retaining Mr. Stephenson, 

 though non-resident, as its President. 



The attention of your council has been directed to 

 the purchase or erection of a museum building of a 



