PROCEEDINGS AT GENEEAL MEETINGS. 17 



in the great work carried on by a Society like this there should be differences of opinion 

 as to minor details ; but he hoped that during his tenure of office there would be a 

 unanimous feeling, as far as possible, in the work of the Society, and that it might be 

 able to carry on that work in which it had hitherto been engaged with much success. 



OFFICE-BEARERS. — The following noblemen and gentlemen were elected to fill the 

 other vacancies in the list of office- V)earers : — Vice-Presidenf.s— The Marquis of T^veed- 

 dale, the Earl of Haddington, the Earl of Wemyss and March, and the Earl of Rose- 

 berv. Ordinary Directors — Sir George Douglas Clerk of Penicuik, Bart. ; Sir James 

 Pt. Gibson- Maitland of Clifton Hall, Bart.; Thomas A. Hog of Newliston ; Anthony 

 Murray of Dollerie ; Thomas I\Iylne, Niddrie Mains ; William Ptitchie of Middleton ; 

 Charles Smith, Whittinghame ; and Captain W. J. Wauchope of Niddrie Marischal. 

 Extraordinary Directors — The Right Hon. Sir James Falshaw, Bart., Lord Provost of 

 Edinburgh; the Earl of Dalkeith, K.T., M.P.; Lord Elcho, M.P.; the Hon. Charles 

 Hope of Bridge Castle ; Sir Hew Dalrymple of North Berwick, Bart. ; Sir William 

 Baillie of Polkemmet, Bart.; Aithur James Balfour of Whittinghame, M.P. ; Robert 

 Bryson, Master of the Merchant Company, Edinburgh ; Robert Dundas of Amiston ; 

 and Peter ]\I'Lagan of Pumpherston, M.P. Members of Council on Education— Ftohert 

 Dundas of Arniston and John Muuro, Faimington. 



Deceased Members. — The Duke of Bdcclecch said that in the absence of the 

 Honorary Secretary, "and in his name, he had been asked to make the following state- 

 ment : — Before proceeding further to the business on tlie programme, I think it right 

 that I should briefly refer to the loss sustained by the Society since the last anniversary 

 General Meeting by the death of several old and respected members in various walks of 

 life. Among these I have first to advert to the late Marquis of Tweeddale, in grateful 

 remembrance of whose long and distinguished services, both to the country and the 

 Society, the Directors embraced the earliest opportunity of testifying their sense and 

 of expressing their regret at his loss. No person, his Grace went on to say, connected 

 with the Society could hold a higher place than the Marquis did, or was more 

 univei"sally esteemed not only by the members of the Society, but by all who had 

 an opportunity of knowing him and becoming acquainted with his worth. I have 

 next to notice the names of Viscount Melville and Lord Herries, the Right Hon. Sir 

 John Stuart of Lochcarron, Lord Neaves and Lord Ardmillan, Sir James Horn Burnett, 

 Bart.; Sir James Hall, Bart.; Sir Alexander Gibson-Maitland, Bart.; and Sir James 

 Campbell of Stracathro. And then in alphabetical order I may mention — Mr Baird of 

 Auchmedden, Mr David Bryce, architect ; Mr Fletcher Campbell of Boquhan, Mr 

 Dickson, Hermiston ; Mr Gibson, Woolmet ; Mt Hope of Bordlands, Mr Hope John- 

 stone of Annandale, Mr Johnstone of Bodesbeck, Mr Murray of Geanies, Mr Napier of 

 Shandon, Mr John Swan, Edinburgh, and Mr David Tweedie, Castle Crawford. In 

 regard to all those who had been members, of the Board, the Directors have already 

 passed resolutions expressive of the sense they entertained of their loss. The Directors 

 having already done that, I think that we of the Society may give expression to our 

 own feeling of regret. Out of a body comprising upwards of 45U0 members, it will be 

 easily conceived that it would occupy too much of your time to name all the deaths 

 that annually occur, but I cannot overlook the Hon. Lady Menzies of Menzies, who has 

 for many years been an exhibitor at the general shows, and took great interest in the 

 Society. 



The Accounts for 1875-76. — Mr Murray of Dollerie laid on the table the accounts 

 for 1S75-76, and stated that the abstract for the year showed on the charge side a total 

 of L.7946, lis., and the discharge L.7061, lis. 8d., leaving a Vtalance in the Royal Bank, 

 as at November 30, of L.884, 19s. 4d., which would enable the Society to cany on its 

 operations successfully. The Directors had voted a sum of L.105 to the Celtic Chair. 

 The accounts of the Aberdeen Show state that the expense to the Society was about L. 650. 



The Argyll Naval Fund. —Admiral Sir Wm. J. Hope-Johnstone read the ab- 

 stract of the accounts of the Argyll Naval Fund, which stated that there was a balance 

 in the bank at 30th November last of L.439 5s. lid,, and he also gave a statement as to 

 the origin and progre.ss of the .scheme. 



AnERDKKN Show, 1876.— Mr Gillon of Wallhouse said— On behalf of the Directors 

 I have the gratifying duty of reporting that the Show at Aberdeen realised the highest 

 expectations entertained for its success. As compared with the gi'eat meetings of 

 former years, it was of equal intere.st. The entries of stock and imjilenunts were 

 highly satisfactory, both as regards n»ini))ers and (luality. In n-gaid to the iini>Ienients 

 selected for trial after the Show, 1 may mention that the ^Lachinery Committee have, 

 after minute ami careful trials, recommended, and that the Directors have confinued, 

 an award of fifty guineas, on account of the Fisken steam ploughing ta* kle, an ex- 

 haustive re]i()rt on which will ai)i)ear in the forthcoming volume of the Transactions. 

 It is well known that several of the oHlce-bearers and others had a great <leal of trouble, 

 and that they tlischargod their duties to the entire .s-atisfaction of all parties. I have 

 therefore to move — " 1. That the thanks of the Society be given to the Right Hon. the 

 Earl of Strathmore, Vice-President, for his attention to the matters of the Al)er<leen 



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