PROCEEDINGS AT BOARD MEETINGS. 13 



examiners were: Professor Wilson, Professor Balfour, and Dr William Stirling of the 

 Edinburgh University. 



General Show. — Aberdeen Shov:, 1876. — At the last meeting of the Board, it wa.s 

 remitted- to, the Coniniittee on General Shows to consider and arrange the premiums to 

 be oft'ered next year at Aberdeen. The committee held its meeting on the 17tli 

 November, and have sugge.sted prenuums to the amount of Ij.2406, being an increase 

 of L.806 over what was otfered at Aberdeen in 1868. The list was approved, and will 

 be submitted to a meeting of members to be held in the Imj)erial Hotel, Aberdeen, on 

 Friday the 17th current at one o'clock. 



Edinburgh Show. — The classes for the proposed show at Edinburgh in 1877, as 

 suggested by the Committee on General Show.s, were submitted to the Board previous 

 to being laid before a meeting of memliers to be held in the Society's hall on Wednesday 

 the 15th current, at half-past one o'clock. 



District Shows. — The reports by the Committees on District Shows and on Cottages 

 and Gardens, detailing the awards at the various competitions held during 1875, and 

 suggesting the districts for 1876, were submitted and approved. 



MEETING OF DIRECTORS, 5th JANUARY 1876. 



Present — Sir Alexander Jardine of Applegarth, Bart; Mr Graham Binny, W.S. ; 

 Mr Dundas of Arniston; Mr Findlay of Springhill; Mr Gibson, Woolmet ; Mr Gillon 

 of Wallhouse ; Mr How.atsoH of Dornel ; Mr Hunter of Thurston ; Mr Hutchison of Cai- 

 lowrie ; Colonel limes of Learney ; Mr Small Keirof Kindrogan ; Mr John Ord Mackenzie 

 of Dolphinton ; Mr Kenneth Mackenzie, C.A. ; Mr Martin, yr. of Auchendennan ; Mr 

 Murray of Dollerie ; Mr David Stevenson, C.E. ; Mr Stewart of Ingliston ; Captain 

 Tod of Howden ; Mr Walker of Bowland ; Mr Pettigrew Wilson of Polquhairn ; 

 Professor Wilson ; Mr Wilson, Durn. Mr Small Keir of Kindrogan in the chair. Mr F. 

 N. Mexzies reported apologies for the absence of Sir Thomas Buchan Hepburn, Bart. ; 

 Admiral Sir William J. Hope Johnstone, K.C.B. ; Mr Findlay of Easterhill ; Mr 

 Johnstone of Bodesbeck ; Mr Irvine of Drum ; and Mr Swinton, Holyn Bank. 



Peruvian Government Guano. — The Secretary stated that, as instructed at last 

 meeting of tlie Boaid, he had written to the Foreign Office on the subject of the prices 

 charged by the Peruvian Government for guano in this country and in thejUnited States, 

 and that he had received the following answer : — 



" Foreign Office, December 10, 1875. 



"Sir — I am directed by the Earl of Derby to acknowledge the receipt of your letter 

 of the 2d instant relative to the prices charged by the Peruvian Government on guano 

 exjiorted to Great Britain and the United States, and I am in reply to acquaint you 

 tliat it appears, from a report on the subject by Her Majesty's Minister at Lima, that 

 the apparently favourable conditions imder which guano has liitherto been supplied to 

 tlie United States by the company which formerly had the exclusive sale of that 

 manure in North America, v/ere granted for the purj)ose of enabhng the company to 

 clear off tlieir stocks rapidly, and thus permit the Peruvian Government to commence 

 ojien sales of guano ; those conditions were, moreover, accorded on account of the heavy 

 advances made by the company to the Peruvian Government. 1 am to add that Her 

 Majesty's Minister has been instructed to take steps with a view of securing to Great 

 Britain the treatment of the most favoured nation in this matter. — I am, sir, your most 

 obedient humble servant, " T. V. Lister. 



"The Secretary of the Highland and Agricultural Society." 



Office-Bearers. — The Secretary reported that the names of the nolilemen and 

 gentlemen to be proposed by the Directors at the General Meeting on the 19th current, 

 to till the vacancies in the list for 1876, had been publislied in terms of the bye-laws. 



Transactions. — Mr Howatson of Dornel gave notice, in accordance with his intima- 

 tion to last meeting of Directors, and in terms of tlie bye-laws, that he would move, at 

 theGeneral Meeting on the 19th current — "That the free issue of the Transactions be 

 continued." 



Hall and Chambers. — The Secretary read the report of the committee, which 

 narrated wdiat took place at former meetings on this subject, including the resolution 

 by the General Meeting on 21st January 1874 approving of the proceedings, and author- 

 ising the Directors to take the necessary ste]>s for selling the present prop)erty on George 

 IV. Bridge, and acquiring premises in the New Town. The rejjort also stated that an 

 offer had been made of a house in George Street, which the committee were unani- 

 mously of opinion would be an eligible site for a hall for tlie Society, and recommend- 

 ing the same to tlie Directors for tlieir favouraljle consideration. 



On the motion of Mr Walker of Bowland, seconded by Mr Stewart of Ingliston, 

 the Board approved of the report of the comnattee, and remitted to the General 

 Meeting to decide whether the proposed purchase sliall be made or not, with an expires- 



