AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 179 
I will now ask Captain Chas. A. McAllister, on behalf of Mr. Stevenson Taylor, chair- 
man of the committee, to read these proposed amendments. I may say before he does, that 
the amendments relate to only a few of the articles in the Constitution; the real changes re- 
late entirely to the method of electing the Council. The other changes which he will read are 
merely changes in phraseology. I may explain also that we have omitted a number of sec- 
tions, which you will see encumber the Constitution with explanatory matter, which is no 
longer necessary; for example, in our early days, we elected two vice-presidents each year for 
a term of six years; this was changed to four each year for a term of three years. 
Captain Cuas. A. McALLisTER:—I regret we have not a sufficient number of copies 
of these proposed amendments to hand a copy to each member present. They were not 
finally in form to submit until ten o’clock this morning, and we have only two copies. 
The proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws were then presented, and the 
remarks indicated below were interjected at the places indicated. 
Captain McAllister read the amendments as follows: 
ARTICLE I—Section 2, to be amended to read as follows: 
“Its object shall be the promotion of the art and science of shipbuilding, commercial and 
naval, in the Umted States of America.” 
ARTICLE IV to be divided into two Articles, IV and V. 
ArtTIcLE IV—Officers, to be amended to be—“Articte [V—Council,” to read as 
follows: 
“1, There shall be a Council composed of eighteen Members and nine Associates, and 
the President, Past Presidents, Honorary Vice-Presidents and Vice-Presidents shall also 
be ex-officio Council members.” 
THE PRESIDENT :—The reason for the increase in the number of Associates is that the 
merchant marine is becoming more important all the time, and we wish to stir up the interest 
of that branch and secure greater cooperation. 
“2. The Council shall meet at the call of the President just prior to the annual gen- 
eral meeting of the Society and at such other times as the interests of the Society may 
demand. 
“3. At all meetings of the Council, eight Members thereof shall constitute a quorum. 
“4. The term of office of Council Members shall be three years. 
“5. (a) Prior to September 1 of each year, the Executive Committee shall prepare ballots 
for filling the places of the retiring Council Members. The ballots shall contain the names 
of six Members and three Associates of the Society, and shall be mailed as soon as practica- 
ble after September 1 of each year to all Members and Associates.” 
THE PRESIDENT :—It is provided that the Executive Committee shall nominate the exact 
number that are to be elected, instead of putting up the names of good men simply to be 
knocked down. The Executive Committee, after careful consideration, is to prepare a bal- 
lot covering the necessary number. 
You will see that the only objection that could possibly be made would take some such 
form as this: “Suppose the Executive Committee should nominate people not acceptable to 
