CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES. 475 



and we have done and desire to do good work. With the exception of 

 Yorkshire, whicli has a number of organised Societies joined together, no 

 one Society has done more than my own Society. No one has done more 

 for archjeology, and we have more material than any similar Society in 

 Great Britain. 1 myself started many years ago with a systematic 

 grouping of the ancient monuments of Antrim and Down, but our local 

 work is not made generally useful for national purposes owing to the 

 want of a proper systematic scheme, which should be formulated by a 

 central authority like the British Association. It is perfectly useless for 

 any local Society to start a system of its own, because that will be applied 

 only locally, and we must adopt some systematised method. I therefore 

 say that there should be an instruction to such a Society as ours as to 

 the lines on which we should act. I understand that to be the object of 

 this Conference, and I hope the suggestions will be taken so that we may 

 act upon the lines laid down, and do very much more useful work, as 

 might be done by the representatives at the Conference. 



The Chairman : The resolution has been very ably moved and 

 seconded, and it is now open for discussion. 



Mr. F. D. Longe : I should like to knov/ whether the British Asso- 

 ciation really means to take the initiative in suggesting to Societies what 

 local work they should do. If the British Association will take the lead 

 in that way I think that practical results will follow, but if it is left to the 

 diflFerent Societies to take up what they like I think there will be endless 

 discussion. 



• Dr. Garson : Every year the Secretary of the Corresponding Societies 

 Committee sends a letter to the Recorder of each Section, intimating 

 during the first week of the Meeting that the second Conference of the 

 Delegates will be held on the following Tuesday, and requesting him to 

 bring this fact before the Section of which he is Recorder, so that a repre- 

 sentative from the various Committees appointed to do special work in 

 connection with that Section may come here and explain to the Delegates 

 what work they propose to do, and how the Corresponding Societies can 

 assist these Committees. 



Prof. J. H. Merivale : Mr. Bevan made a practical suggestion, which 

 might be carried out, that we should have a social meeting — at least I 

 think he meant a social meeting — each year. We had a meeting at 

 Ipswich which was a great success. I think ifc would be a very excellent 

 thing that we should have an opportunity of seeing one another and 

 discussing matters in which we are mutually interested. 



Mr. Gray : I am afraid that that suggestion does not come within the 

 scope of the Association. I think that in Ireland, in accordance with our 

 usual hospitality, we may take some steps to have you all together next year. 

 The Chairman : I should like to hear some remarks bearing directly 

 on the subject which Mr. Bevan has so ably brought forward— remarks 

 that would lead to something definite. 



Captain Phillips : Although a systematic survey comes within the 

 work of some of our Corresponding Societies I do not think it would come 

 within that of all of them. For instance, my Society is a geographical 

 Society, and the members of it are business men, who have their time 

 fully taken up ; in taking a survey such as is here contemplated in 

 archieology you would find that my Society would be woefully in the dark. 

 I shall, however, lay it before my Committee, but I do not think that I 

 shall receive much encouragement, or that this meeting will receive much 

 encouragement from my Society on this subject. 



