OF THE COUNCIL. 



LXIV.— ANNIVERSARY MEETING, May 1, 1861. 

 The Anniversary Meeting, for the election of Council and 

 Officers for the ensuing year, and receiving the Keport of the 

 Council, was held in the new Council Room in the Garden at 

 South Kensington. The Earl of Ducie occupied the Chair. 

 Lord Llanover and the Right Hon. T, F. Kennedy having been 

 named Scrutineers of the approaching Ballot, the Assistant 

 Secretary read the following Annual Report from the Council to 

 the Fellows : — 



Report from the Council. 



In giving an account of their management during the past 



year, the Council are necessarily in a great measure restricted to 



reporting the progress of an unfinished design, and announcing 



the expenditure of much money and labour. 



As the completion of the works connected with the new Garden 

 was not contemplated at so early a date as that of the present 

 anniversary, and as the progress actually made has kept pace with 

 that anticipated at this time last year, the Council believe that 

 the interests of the Society entrusted to them at the last anni- 

 versary have not suffered at their hands. 



In the Report of the Council then made they said that " they 

 " hoped and believed that in the absence of unforeseen obstacles, 

 '* the garden will be for the most part completed by midsummer 

 " in next year " ; and the present Council trust that they will be 

 able to fulfil the anticipation so held out, notwithstanding that 

 they have had to contend with formidable obstacles arising from 

 circumstances wholly beyond either their control or anticipation. 

 The first of these was the unprecedentedly wet season of last year. 

 It threw the earthworks of the garden so far behind, that it 

 was only by the most arduous exertions that the delay has 

 been made up. This, however, has happily been done. The 

 second great hindrance was the long-continued frost, and the 

 brick-work and masonry were only beginning to recover the 

 ground lost during that period of compulsory idleness, when they 

 have been again thrown back by the strike of the building 

 workmen. 



Notwithstanding the imperfections caused by these obstacles, 

 the Council feel bound to open the gardens on the 5th of 



