Vili PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 
hensive manner, lessening difficulties, and in every way, con- 
tributing to the smoothness of the operation. In the com- 
parative annihiliation of space, science has brought the tropics 
within the arctic zone, and has transferred the arctic zone 
into the tropics. Little do we, on a sweltering summer day, 
appreciate the blessing of having portion of a southern iceberg 
stowed in our ice chests, with which to cool ourselves ; and 
whilst we are cooling ourselves, science, like a naughty little 
child is poking out its tongue at nature, and at her imperious 
limitations. In short, the more we consider all those things 
which make up the sum of communal modern existence, the 
more we perceive that it is a junction of indescribable forces 
with science at the head. Science, it is, therefore, which 
has brought our commerce to its present almost incredible 
condition of development. Yet I regret to sav, that in the 
science of Government we have not gone ahead so rapidly as 
we might wish. 
As one whose tife has been passed amid the hurly burly 
of strenuous intercommercial existence, hardly need I say that 
my appreciation of the quiet achievements of a Society such as 
this is most keen. There are hundreds, nay, thousands of 
such Societies throughout the civilised world. Everyone of 
them, like ourselves, is steadily working towards the one 
great end in the service of universal mankind. 
Little drops of water, 
Little grains of sand, 
Make the mighty ocean, 
And the wondrous land. 
Science despises not the smallest contribution. The meanest 
rivulet that brings down a few golden grains to her profound 
ocean of knowledge is ever welcome. Had it not been for 
societies of this description I had not been able to make a 
review such as that which to-night [ have feebly attempted to 
place before you. 
In retirmg from the Presidency of this Society, I am 
relinquishing what to me has been a labour of love, I trust 
that the future of this Society will be one of widely extended 
influence, leading up to the development of our national genius, 
in the direction of furthering the exploiting of the inexhaustible 
secrets with science still holds for the daring and the ambitious , 
and thereby perfecting the methods by which mankind carry 
on this wondrous complexity called commerce. 
