68 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL, 



convenient centre at and from which the important educational work that is 

 contemplated can be best carried out. Express care has been taken in the 

 amalgamation scheme to guard against the county town having a paramount or 

 more than fair share in the management. The institution is to be essentially and 

 really a county one, and it is designed for the assistance of every student, whether 

 a member of the Club or not, desirous of improving himself in natural knowledge, 

 and in contributing to the general well-being of Essex. The total amount of 

 capital required for the Museum scheme is ;^4,ooo, and the estimated annual 

 expenditure is .^400. Active work can be commenced in the temporary premises 

 when one-fourth of the required capital has been obtained. 



The Council appeals strongly to the public spirit of the inhabitants of Essex, 

 and generally to all those interested in science and in its practical applications, to 

 give the financial support necessary to launch and to maintain the Museum, and 

 to help forward the useful and interesting work which will grow up around it. 



Technical Instruction. — The result of the Club's application for a grant to 

 carry on scientific and technical instruction work in the county has already been 

 set forth in the Essex Naturalist (vol. v., pp. i73-4),and need not be further dealt 

 with here. The Council understands that Mr. Fitch will explain the state of 

 affairs in his annual address. 



Addition to Epping Forest. — The Council cannot refrain from con- 

 gratulating the members on the successful issue of the project for obtaining a 

 portion of Highams Park as a part of Epping Forest. Our secretary, Mr. Cole, 

 acted as hon. secretary to the Committee, and very many members of the Club 

 took an active part in the work. The land thus added to the Forest amounted to 

 30a. 2 r. 39 p, and it was formally dedicated to public uses by H.R.H. the 

 Ranger on June 6th last. The warmest thanks of all interested in the forest are 

 due to Mr. E. N. Buxton and Sir T. Fowell Buxton, to whose energy and 

 munificence this grand addition to the Essex Woodlands is mainly due. 



The present meeting sums up the work of the twelve years' life of the Club, 

 During that period 188 meetings have been held, and a very large number of 

 spots in our county visited. Several important investigations have been under- 

 taken by the Club, and on two or three occasions the Society has been enabled to 

 do good work in protecting Epping Forest from permanent injury. Including 

 the two special memoir series, twelve volumes have been published, giving a total 

 of 3,454 pages of matter, ninety per cent, of which, at least, has had a close 

 relation to Essex. The Council ventures to claim that the Club has, during its 

 tenure of existence, done much really good work, and that it is entitled to claim 

 even a greater measure of support than it has yet received from residents in the 

 county, and from those desirous of encouraging the study of nature, and of local 

 antiquities. 



Mr. Fitch retires from the Presidency to-night after four years' active service. 

 The members of the Council beg leave to tender to him their most hearty thanks 

 for his excellent efforts in forwarding the welfare of the Club. Mr. Fitch has 

 ever been most ready to aid the operations of the Council in every way in his 

 power, and his services as Conductor at Field Meetings, and his many admirable 

 contributions to the publications of the Club, have been most valuable and 

 useful, and entitle him to the gratitude of every member of the Club. 



In recommending Dr. Laver to take the office vacated by Mr. Fitch, the 

 Council feels that it is serving the interests of the Club. Dr Laver is an original 

 member of the Societ\', and has always taken an active interest in its proceedings. 



