The Annual General Meeting. 87 
_ of possessors of only one or two portraits, who are willing to assist 
in this work by filling up the forms for their own pictures, to com- 
municate with the Secretaries on the subject. 
“9. The sinking of deep wells in the chalk on the downs by the 
War Department, and the cutting of the soil for railway purposes 
_ in two or three parts of the county, has resulted in singularly little 
discovery of interest to either archeologists or geologists. Visitors 
to Stonehenge are likely to increase enormously in numbers. It is 
very greatly to be desired that the utmost vigilance and care should 
_ be exercised to prevent the stones suffering damage. In sucha 
ease it seems strange that in a country like England, so rich in 
relics abounding in historical interest, no powers are conferred on 
_ public bodies, or on such societies as ours, to protect what may be 
_ so easily and so irretrievably damaged. The report of the Congress 
of Archzological Societies states, that it appears from a full inquiry 
made by Government as to the steps taken in foreign countries for 
the protection of ancient and historical monuments, that in no 
country in Kurope is so little protection given as in England. A 
copy of the Blue Book containing the report is, we understand, to 
be issued to the County Archeological Societies. It may be hoped 
that more general attention may be attracted to this matter whilst 
there is time to preserve anything old. 
_ “Tn this connection it may be mentioned that the Secretaries 
interfered successfully during the year to prevent the injury that 
was being done to the outer ramparts of Barbury Castle, by the 
digging of rubble there without the knowledge of the owner, who, 
on his attention being called to the matter, promptly stopped the 
work. 
“The Committee desires again to impress upon its Hon. Local 
Secretaries and all other Members, that it rests with them, as well 
as with the Committee and Officers of the Society, to keep up its 
numbers and maintain its reputation.” 
_ Mr. N. Story Maskexynz, in moving the adoption of the Report, 
spoke of the importance of keeping up the numbers of the Society 
in order to preserve the efficiency of the Magazine, and of the good 
work which such societies did in helping to educate people to realise 
