PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 



By James Hyslop, D.S.O., M.B-., CM. 



I have to thank the Association for having appointed me its 

 President, an honour which I fully appreciate, but which I am at 

 the same time deeply sensible that I have done nothing either in the 

 way of scientific attainments or original research to deserve. I 

 regard my present position, however, more in the light of a compli- 

 ment to the profession to which I have the honour to belong, a 

 profession, I may remark, at one time largely empirical in its methods, 

 but now daily becoming more and more scientific ; and on that 

 account my gratitude is all the greater. 



I may well be excused for feeling the greatest diffidence in 

 opening this Annual Congress, when I realise that my predecessors 

 in office — some of whom have made most valuable contributions to 

 science — have been Sir David Gill, Sir Charles Metcalfe, Mr. 

 Reunert, and Mr. Gardner Williams. 



The South African Association will always have reason to bear 

 the name of its first President, Sir David Gill, in grateful remem- 

 brance, as it is in large measure owing to his efforts that its very 

 existence is due ; and I feel sure I am but voicing the sentiment of 

 every member of the Association under whose auspices we are met 

 here to-night, when I offer him our most hearty congratulations on 

 the well-earned honour which the British Association has seen fit to 

 confer on him by electing him as its President for the current year. 

 At the same time I feel assured that those of you who know him 

 best will agree with me that the British Association, in assigning to 

 our original President first place in its illustrious roll of members, 

 and thus paying homage to Sir David Gill, are at the same time 

 honouring themselves. 



In these days, when science is making such rapid strides, and 

 scientific discoveries of more or less importance are of such frequent 

 occurrence, it would be futile for me, even had I the temerity to do 

 so, to attempt to touch on the different subjects — twenty-three in 

 number — which will hereafter engage our attention at the sectional 

 meetings ; but if I may be permitted to crave your indulgence for a 

 short time, I will avail myself of the privilege usually accorded to 

 a general President, of not confining myself to one scientific subject, 

 or even to subjects strictly scientific in their nature, in endeavouring 

 to lav before you a few illustrations of what science has alreadv done, 

 and mav vet be expected to accomplish for us. 



