SPECIAL FUNDS 385 



cultural Organisation Society (the A.O.S.). It is to-day a 

 nourishing sister society to the Central Chamber, and if there 

 is any competition between the two bodies it lies in the fact 

 that a number of individuals serve both societies, and it 

 occasionally happens that their services are required in two 

 places at once. 



Special Funds. 



In 1871 the Chambers took part in collecting money, seed 

 corn, and potatoes for French peasants and farmers, whose 

 land had been devastated during the war. 



This movement was started at a general meeting of the 

 Sniithfielcl Club, when the President (the Earl of Powis) 

 mentioned with warm approval the correspondence between 

 His Excellency M. Drouyn de Lhuys and Mr. James Howard, 

 M.P., proposing to supply seed to small cultivators in the 

 invaded region. Lord Vernon (President of the Royal Agri- 

 cultural Society for 1871) presided at the first public meeting 

 on 19th December, called by Mr. Brandreth-Gibbs (Hon. 

 Secretary, Smithfield Club), Mr. Delano (Hon. Agent in 

 England of the Societe des Agriculteurs de France), and Mr. 

 Jenkins (Secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society of 

 England). Mr. Clare Sewell Read and Mr. J. Algernon Clarke 

 (Secretary of the Central Chamber) were elected on the 

 Executive Committee of the Fund.* Subscriptions amounting 

 to about 42,000 were received, and a Swedish Fund of 6300 

 and a Limbourg Fund of 393 were added to this sum. Dona- 

 tions in kind included 180 qrs. of spring wheat, 600 qrs. of 

 barley, 350 qrs. of oats, 300 sacks of potatoes, and quantities 

 of small seeds of all kinds. 



There was a separate Fund raised by the Society of Friends 

 for the same object, which originated in the North of England. 



In 1876 a testimonial fund was raised to Mr. Clare Sewell 

 Read, when 5500 was collected ; 200 of this Mr. Read 

 handed to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. 



In 1895 another testimonial fund was raised and presented 

 to Mr. Thomas Duckham, in recognition of his services to 



* Journal, R.A.S.E., 1872 



BJi 



