} 
CxIx 
I think it will be realised from the foregoing facts that there 
is every prospect of the Society having a prosperous financial 
future, but this can only be realised by sound methods of 
procedure. A Society, like most institutions and individuals, 
can only be made prosperous gradually; its future requires 
to be built up by continuous effort, by the soundness of its 
business methods, and by its careful look-ahead finance, 
which not only provides for the necessities of the day, but 
anticipates the future, and, knowing its requirements, keeps 
them steadily in view until eventually they are realised. It 
is a fact that the individual who has realised what he wants, 
is more likely to attain those requirements than if he did not 
grasp their nature and plan for them, and so it is with a 
Society like ours; I venture therefore to put the following 
points and suggestions before the Fellows. 
There are two difficulties vitally affecting the Society that 
will arise in the future. One of these is the increased Library 
space that will be necessary, and the other the necessity at 
some future date of providing a larger meeting-room, which 
should have better acoustic properties. 
To deal with the question of the Library requirements 
first. It has always been the case that every Society pos- 
sessing a library, including our own, tends very rapidly to 
outgrow its accommodation; this is inevitable, for each year 
sees large increases made to its collection of books, especially 
those in the department of Periodical Literature. 
We have at present considerable spare room in the Library, 
and there is a possibility of somewhat increasing the space 
available without making structural alterations; but I 
estimate that in, say, ten years, our available shelf room will 
all be utilised. We must then provide additional space. 
The meeting-room question will, I think, require to be 
dealt with at the same time, because the additional space for 
the Library will have to be either in the present meeting- 
room, or in connection with the new meeting-room which can 
be erected on the spaces now occupied by the kitchen of No. 41, 
Queen’s Gate, and the garage at 15, Elvaston Mews. 
Our first task, of course, must be to pay off the present 
issue of Debentures. As I have previously stated, a start 
