Proceedings of U<<- Society. 361 



English language. As regards the present they had sufficient to pay 

 current expenses aud leave a substantial balance. Even last year when 

 the hony. secretary was away most of the year, and although Mr. Laing 

 had to be awa}-, they paid oft* 8500 of the outstanding debt in making 

 permanent improvements. They made a ladies' and gentleman's room, 

 and a smoking room, and the price had been about 8600 and they gave a 

 most hearty welcome to the Governor on his arrival with electric signs 

 and lights. The Society was solvent and had been so from the begin- 

 ning, but one thing would make it insolvent, and that was if it went 

 back to the old policy that the idea of the Society was to have 

 S12 in the till at the end of the year. A Society like this with vast 

 property on the finest site in Georgetown, insured for 820,000, with 

 collections worth $100,000, ought not to be afraid to go into debt 

 $1,000 for the purpose of making permanent improvements. They went 

 into debt 8660 in 1911, and they sent up the revenue from 84,110 to 

 85,434. It was only by a business policy and by appealing to the busi- 

 ness instincts of people and giving value for money, by maintaining a 

 high standard of efficiency all round and putting their library in order, 

 that they could maintain their reputation throughout the West Indies. 



