THE ROYAL CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, 1915. 



We meet here to-night to open the sixty-eighth Session of this Insti- 

 tute. 



The activities of the past year have been necessarily confined by 

 the commercial conditions which have prevailed, owing to the state 

 of war that exists. 



The greater part of the papers read at the meetings held during the 

 last Session were upon subjects of very great interest in connection 

 with warlike operations. The appreciation which was shown by the 

 members and the public of these papers was very gratifying to 

 the Council, and seemed to give earnest of an awakened interest 

 in the proceedings of the Institute which has been worked for and 

 anticipated for some time past. 



You have before you the programme of papers to be read at the six 

 meetings on each Saturday night from now until and including the 18th 

 of December. A short consideration of the subjects embraced in that 

 programme will awaken, I trust, a keen appreciation of the fact that the 

 Institute is fulfilling its duty, not alone to its members, but to the public 

 in general, in the most ample way. 



One is frequently met in conversation with persons who do not take 

 the trouble to inform themselves of the work of the Institute, that they 

 are not drawn towards the meetings of the Institute by reason of the 

 scientific character which many of the papers possess. We may place 

 on record our sympathy for these individuals, merely adding that the 

 compliment conveyed in their reason for want of interest is a tribute 

 to the value of our work. 



During the past year the Institute has had to mourn the death of several 

 members : 



Thomas Langton died 1914 



Dr. A. M. Rosebrugh 



James Bicknell V *- " 



E. W. Cox 



Dr. J. Galbraith 



Alexander Nairn " " 



D. R. Wilkie 



J. H. Mathieson, St. Mary's 



F. W. Kingstone 



The Hon. Mr. Justice Maclennan died June 9, 1915. 

 Sir Sandford Fleming died July 22, 1915. 



