PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Ivii 



Students will already find it well classified, so as to show the products 

 of the country of scientific and economic interest to their best advantage. 

 The numerous blanks are being filled as rapidly as specimens caa be 

 secured, and each object is in tho process of being labelled so as to give 

 not only its name but a summary of such information respecting it as 

 is most likely to be of use. 



On the adjacent flat the Government has provided ample library 

 accommodation for the Library of the Institute and the books from the 

 Legislative Library bearing on science and the arts, with a reading 

 room. There is also sufficient accommodation for the Library of the 

 Mining Society of the Province. In this manner all these scientific 

 collections increasing from day to day, all these libraries also increasing 

 from day to day, are made available freely to students, miners, 

 manufacturers, and the public generally. 



Under the capable management of Mr. Piers, these institutions are 

 not only sure to give satisfaction to the Government, but to the public, 

 who are thus admitted to invaluable privileges which previously even 

 members of the Institute could not avail themselves of without much 

 loss of time and inconvenience to others. The Government, in 

 assuming the charge of this composite Library, are able to open to the 

 public the invaluable, modern, and rapidly growing library of the 

 Institute ; and the members of the Institute, on the other hand, have also 

 gained thereby easy access to their own literature. This co-operation of 

 interests is of mutual benefit, and the Science Library and the Museum 

 are likely to become an important centre for the scientific students of the 

 city and the Province. The Museum is already open, and in a short 

 time the Library will be in working condition. 



There are also signs that the scientific side of educational work 

 throughout the Province is improving, notwithstanding the defects 

 common to our schools and colleges throughout the continent. May the 

 time be not far distant when our Institute may have more recruits to 

 undertake the infinite range of work before us in discovering the yet 

 hidden truths of nature lying around us on every hand within our own 

 Province, without a knowledge of which we cannot expect to solve 

 indubitably what people call the great problems of the world. 



The President referred with regret to the loss of two invaluable 

 associate members, Captain Trott, of the Cable S. S. " Minia," and Rev. 

 Arthur C. Waghorne, who had done so much in the botanical explora- 

 tion of Newfoundland. 



