iv PEOCEEDINGS OF THE 



Government, rightly understanding the relations which ought to 

 prevail with the scientific societies judged to be deserving of their 

 support, obtained from Parliament adequate means for providing 

 ample accommodation for the six societies here located, without re- 

 serving any right of interference with or control over their scien- 

 tific operations. Thus our new quarters have assumed a perma- 

 nent and independent character ; the rooms have been built and 

 fitted up expressly for our Society ; and, having followed out all 

 the arrangements, I feel bound to acknowledge the efi'ective 

 manner in which the liberal intentions of Grovernment have been 

 promoted and carried out in detail by the architects, Mr. Barry 

 and the late Mr. Bankes. "When the plana for the new building 

 were first being prepared (some six or seven years since), we were 

 applied to for particulars of the accommodation we should require 

 for our library and meetings, for the transaction of the business 

 of the Society, and for the residence of our librarian and porter. 

 "We were not consulted, it is true, about the general arrangements 

 in relation to the other Societies ; and we have to regret the ces- 

 sation of that close juxtaposition and intimate intercourse with 

 the Eoyal Society which was so agreeable to us ; but in all other 

 respects our requisitions were fully complied with in the plans 

 prepared and sent to us for approval ; and the only alteration 

 since made has been the curtailment of a portion of the basement 

 premises in favour of the Post Office, which rather inconveniently 

 limits the stowage-room for our stock of Transactions. With 

 this sole exception, we have tbe space we asked for ; and the book- 

 shelves and -such other fittings as have been provided by Grovern- 

 ment have been worked out in the most satisfactory manner. 



Our removal here has necessarily been attended with consider- 

 able expense, the precise amount of which cannot yet be calcu- 

 lated, but it will probably exceed £600. The Council have, how- 

 ever, not thought it necessary to call for any special subscription. 

 The investments made during the past year have been partially 

 with a view to the present occasion ; and the gradually increasing 

 sale of our publications and the general appreciation of the value 

 of our labours have been so far adding to our receipts that we 

 closed last session with a much larger balance in hand than usual ; 

 and we hope to clear ourselves of the liabilities we are incurring 

 without reducing our invested funds much below £2000. At 

 the same time we must not conceal from ourselves that we 

 shall be called upon for a considerable increase in our expendi- 



