REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 



XXXI.-ANNIVERSAEY MEETING, May 1, 1860. 



The Anniversary Meeting of the Society for the election of 

 new members of Council, and Officers for the ensuing year, took 

 place on Tuesday, May Ist, in the Lecture Theatre of the 

 Museum of Science and Art, Kensington Gore, by permission of 

 the Right Hon. the Lord President of the Council. The Right 

 Hon. the Earl of Ducie in the chair. 



C. B. Warneb, Esq., of Hoddesdon, and Mr. Ingbam, of the 

 Royal Gardens, Frogmore, having been named scrutineers of 

 the approaching ballot, the Secretaet proceeded to read the 

 following Annual Report : — 



Report from the Council. 



When the Society last assembled on an occasion of the 

 present kind, it was the unpleasant duty of the Council to an- 

 nounce that their attempts at improving the financial position of 

 the Society had been attended by no success. They had to report 

 an income, which, though reviving, was still so inadequate that the 

 liabilities had increased within the year by above 600Z„ and that 

 bouse in Regent Street, and all that 

 I order to reduce the debt bearing interest, which 

 in the beginning of 1859 amounted to nearly 8000Z., exclusive of 

 above 2700/. of simple contract debts, had become urgent. Such 



Council to revive the Society, it became evident that retrench- 

 ment in every direction had become so inevitable, that it was 

 proposed to bring the expenditure down if possible to 1800Z. 

 a-year, of which Chiswick was to receive 1300L : and if this has 

 not been wholly effected", it has been because the sudden alteration 

 in the prospects of the Society rendered it indispensable to engage 

 in expenses which would have been needless had circumstances 

 remained as they were. 



Great retrenchment in a public body was, moreover, too dan 

 gerous a course to be permanently adopted. It could only be 

 effected by inaction. The income at the disposal of the Council 

 was placed in their hands for the purpose of actively promoting 

 the interests of the Fellows, and was not likely t 

 unless that purpose, which was i 

 economy, was fulfilled. 



