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Although, in communicating with Lord Derby, I was not acting 

 under the directions of your Council, still, as my object was to induce 

 the Government to complete a work in which this Society had taken 

 so great an interest, I conceived it to be my duty to lay the facts 

 before you, as a basis to proceed upon, should it hereafter be con- 

 sidered expedient to renew the subject. 



I have detailed to you regularly at each anniversary the proceed- 

 ings of the Committee of Recommendations ; a Committee, as you 

 are all probably aware, appointed to distribute the grant for scientific 

 objects which was made to us by Government the first year of my 

 Presidency, and has since been continued annually. On the present 

 occasion I have only to say, that since the last anniversary nume- 

 rous reports have been received, and I hope the new Council will 

 consider it expedient to collect the facts brought out, and arrange 

 them in the form of a paper to be laid before Parliament. 



With respect to the design for the re- examination of the heavens 

 in the southern hemisphere, originally suggested by the British As- 

 sociation, and subsequently matured by your Council, I have only 

 to say, as I said the last anniversary, that it is in the hands of 

 Government. 



There is no other subject which seems to me to call for observa- 

 tion ; the report of your Treasurer will give all necessary information 

 as to financial matters, and it only remains for me to express the 

 deep sense I feel of the great services which have been rendered to 

 Science by your Councils during the six years I have been officially 

 connected with them. I am sure nothing could have exceeded their 

 pains-taking industry, their complete devotion to your service. In 

 their hands your interests were watched over with anxious care, 

 they were in perfect safe-keeping ; and when I was unavoidably ab- 

 sent, as was too often the case, I had no misgivings. To your 

 Council I return my sincere thanks ; to you, Gentlemen, I feel 

 equally grateful ; and in retiring from your Presidency permit me to 

 assure you, that although the position I am destined henceforth to 

 occupy will be less prominent, my exertions for the welfare of your 

 Society shall not be less earnest. 



