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THE PRESIDENT'S ADDEESS. 



Mr. Tremayne in the course of his opening address, said 

 the justification of his accepting the position of President 

 of this scientific institution was the fact that it had been pointed 

 out to him that as a county institution it did not receive such 

 personal support from the resident landowners of Cornwall as 

 it was entitled to receive. By the great kindness of the Hon- 

 orary Secretary, Major Parkyn, he had been furnished with notes 

 having reference to the progress of the Institution during the 

 past year. This progress was most gratifying, and as evidence 

 of this they had only to look into the next room and see the tables 

 occupied by the donations given during the past six months. 

 They showed how largely diffused was the interest in the 

 Institution, and how many friends they had, who, though not 

 resident in the county, were associated with it by the freemasonry 

 of science and learning. He could not help referring to the gift 

 of Mr. Eobert Harvey, of a portrait of the Cornish giant, and 

 it was gratifying that a Truro man, though no longer residing 

 in the county, when this record of a Cornish hero was put up in 

 the market, stepped into the breach, purchased the picture and 

 presented it to the Museum at the place of his old home. 



There was one mournful duty he had to perform, which 

 was to pay a tribute to those many kind friends and supporters 

 who had departed since the previous meeting. Foremost 

 amongst those was his friend, the late Mr. Gustavus Basset, of 

 Tehidy, a name always honoured and revered — and deservedly 

 so — in Cornwall. He did not know of a more enlightened, 

 charitable gentleman than Mr. Custavus Basset. As a country 

 gentleman, friend, landlord, and large owner of mining property, 

 he thought he set an example which might be followed by any- 

 body. The Institution sustained a great loss by his death. It 

 was not necessary to remind them of the munificent presents he 

 had made to the Institution, which included the MSS. of Tonkin 

 and Whitaker. He also referred to the deaths of the Ee v. William 

 Borlase, Mr. E. G. Spry, and Mr. J. E. Netherton. 



