26 PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 



Edinburgh Show — 1869. 



Mr Kinloch reported that the Directors had received a numerously-signed 

 requisition from the proprietors of the three Lothians, praying that the Show 

 in 1869 should be held at Edinburgh. The Directors had agreed to this re- 

 quest, and had remitted to the Show Committee to draw up a list of premiums. 

 This they had done, and a list was now on the table. There would be plenty 

 of time before next year to receive suggestions regarding it, and make any 

 alterations that might be necessary. The meeting approved of the Show being 

 held at Edinburgh in 1869. 



Local Competitions. 



Mr Campbell Swinton, chairman of the Committee on District Shows, 

 laid on the table the report of the committee, from which it appeared that 

 during last year 221 competitions of various kinds had taken place, namely, 

 stock, 22 ; minor premiums and medals, 50 ; ploughing competitions, 149. 

 The Society has besides contributed to the funds of the Dundee Show, and 

 the Edinburgh Christmas Club, making a total expenditure of L.705. Mr 

 Swinton then moved that the sum of L.600 be voted for premiums during 

 1868. The grants the Directors proposed were, he said, distributed over the 

 whole of Scotland, and comprised at least as many districts as in 1867. 



The motion was agreed to. 



The Chair of Agriculture in the University. 



Mr Campbell Swinton said he had to bring before this meeting for their 

 consideration, and he trusted for their approval, a proposal to make a grant 

 for a certain number of years towards the endowment of the Chair of Agri- 

 culture in the University of Edinburgh. He might state that this was not a 

 new subject to the members of the Society. It was brought before the general 

 meeting some years ago, not at the instance of the Directors, but by several 

 independent members of the Society. A representation was made by them 

 at that time to the Directors that it was very desirable to take into considera- 

 tion the propriety of the Society endowing the Chair of Agriculture — a Chair 

 which at present received the miserable endowment of L.50 a-year from funds 

 which had been in existence for a number of years. The matter was fully 

 considered in 1862 when the Universities Commission was sitting, and it was 

 thought that that was a suitable opportunity to contribute a sum from the 

 funds of the Society, provided the Commissioners would contribute from the 

 funds at their disposal a like sum. To the regret of the Directors, an unfavour- 

 able reply was ultimately received from the Commissioners, in consequence of 

 the sum placed at their disposal being so limited, considering the many claims 

 they had to take into consideration. Within the last few weeks, however, 

 a deputation from the Senatus Academicus had waited upon the Directors, 

 and had represented that a favourable opportunity had now occurred for 

 renewing this offer. A gentleman resident in Edinburgh, with most com- 

 mendable liberality, had presented the University with no less a sum than 

 L.5000 for the purpose of forming an endowment for a Chair of Engineering. 

 In consequence of that a representation was to be made to the Government to 

 supplement the funds which that munificent donation would provide by a like 

 grant of public money for the Chair of Engineering. A deputation from the 

 University and from different public bodies in Edinburgh was to proceed to 

 London, and would lay that matter before Her Majesty's Government, and 

 they would also take part in a general congress about to be held in London on 

 the subject of technical education. The Society were, therefore, only asked to 

 express their willingness to do the same thing that they had offered to do in 

 1862 ; and it was proposed to limit the present offer of a grant from the 

 Society to an annual sum for ten years, it being, however, understood that the 



