270 The Twenty-Ninth General Meeting. 



transacting the usual business. At the outset, the Rev. A. C. Smith 

 (General Secretary) moved, in the name of the Committee, and in 

 the absence of their late President (Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice), 

 that Mr. Nevil Story Maskelyne be elected President of the Society 

 for the next three years. It was needless, and it would be im- 

 pertinent on his part, to describe Mr. Maskelyne's qualifications for 

 the post; his name was known all over Europe in connection with 

 science, and it was a great honour to the Society to gain the services 

 of so eminent a man as their President. This proposition was 

 seconded by Mr. H. Cunninqton (Curator of the Society's Museum 

 at Devizes), and carried by acclamation. 



The President Elect, in taking the chair, said he would do his 

 best to fulfil the duties they had imposed on him. He then called 

 upon the Rev. A. C. Smith to read the annual 



REPORT FOR 1883. 



"The Committee of the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural 

 History Society has again the pleasure of congratulating its Mem- 

 bers on the continued prosperity of the Society. 



" It is true that we have lost several valued members by death, 

 withdrawal, or removal from the county j amongst whom we must 

 especially mention Mr. Miles, of Wexcombe, in the parish of Great 

 Bedwyn, who has been a Member since the formation of the Society 

 in 1853; and, within the last few weeks, Major Spicer, who most 

 hospitably entertained the Society at Spye Park during the Chip- 

 penham Meeting, in 1874, and very efiectually aided the efibrts of 

 the Committee in the purchase of its present Museum and Library, 

 by coming forward when High Sheriff of the county, and taking 

 the chair at a public meeting held to consider the question, and 

 heading the subscription list with a donation of £50. 



" But though we have lost no less than thirteen Members during 

 the last twelvemonths, our numbers have been in some degree re- 

 placed by the enrolment of eleven new names, giving us a total of 

 three hundred and seventy Members, which is a very slight decrease 

 on the number announced last year. 



" With regard to Finance, the annual account shows a balance in 



