12 



Tlie Council refer with pleasure to the prosperity of the Society, as 

 shown by the Treasurer's Report, and the arrangements made for the 

 Session we are about to enter on. Already one or more papers have 

 been offered for every Ordinary Meeting, in response to the Secretary's 

 application. 



The Council do not deem it expedient to recommend to their 

 successors the continuance of the Sectional Committees pre\iously 

 organised, no material advantage having been derived from their 

 co-operation. 



The volume of Proceedings for 1835-56 is now ready, and will 

 speedily be in the hands of members. 



With other Societies the Council have to report a continuance of 

 friendly intercourse. 



The interest which this Society has taken in the inquiries affecting 

 ships' compasses, led your Secretary to endeavour to obtain from Dr. 

 Scoresby, upon his return from Australia, an exposition of the experi- 

 ments and results of that scientific voyage, but the private arrange- 

 ments of Dr. Scoi'esby rendered it impossible for the Secretary to call 

 a special meeting. 



The Society has had to mourn the loss, by death, of Joseph Brooks 

 Yates, Esq,, and the Rev. Dr. Buckland ; and, by resignation of his 

 seat upon the Council, of the services of the Rev. Dr. Fischel, who has 

 gone to the United States. Upon the almost irreparable loss of Mr. 

 Yates, the Society has already expressed its opinion in an address 

 to the family. 



The total number of Ordinary ilembers at present is 140, and 

 the proposals of several gentlemen are before the Society. Last 

 Session, twenty new members were elected, but by the operation of its 

 laws and resignations, mainly caused by change of residence to a 

 distance, and inability to attend the Society's meetings, twenty-six were 

 removed from the roll. The Corresponding Members number 44, 

 giving a totality of 184 members. 



The donations to the Society during the year ending June last, have 

 been recorded in the minutes, and acknowledged in the "Proceedings." 



The Council have chosen the following five members as fit persons to 

 supply the places of those who, by the laws, are not eligible for election 

 upon the new Council : Richard Brooke, F.S.A., John Cunningham, 

 F.G.S., Joseph C. Redish, George Hamilton, F.R.A.S.. F.C.S., and 

 James Thomas Foard. 



RoBT. M'AxDREw, F.R.S., President. 

 David P. Thomson, M.D., Hon. Secretary. 



