8 THE PRESIDENTS ADDEESS. 



connected with the Duchy Office, has also bequeathed to this 

 Institution, free of legacy duty, such of his historical 'books 

 and MSS as relate to the counties of Devon and Cornwall, of 

 which copies or duplicates are not already in our possession, 

 — a large accession to our shelves. And here, I think, you will 

 pardon me for recalling to your memory for a moment one 

 whose name will live in Cornwall in connexion with works which 

 you all know, but whose face will never be seen amongst us 

 again. His descriptive power and artistic skill are things of the 

 past, because, though the hand still lives, the over- wrought 

 brain is powerless to guide it. This is not the place to make an 

 appeal to your liberality, but still I think that any one who 

 values his copy of "The Ancient Crosses of Cornwall," or "A 

 Week at the Land's End," would be glad to help in saving their 

 author from any aggravation of his terrible affliction. £300 to 

 meet £200, conditionally promised from the Eoyal Bounty, 

 would buy Mr. Blight an annuity of £50, and secure to him for 

 life the comforts which he now enjoys. I also deeply regret the 

 absence, through illness, of our friend Dr. Barham. All here 

 will feel that this Society is indebted to him, perhaps more than 

 to any one else. Last summer he was unable to be present with 

 us at our excursion, but that was in consequence of an event of 

 family congratulation ; now, alas ! after having passed through 

 a sad episode of domestic sorrow he is prevented from being 

 with us to-day through ill-health. 



Although the Royal lustitution is chiefly distinguished from 

 the other kindred societies in the county by the attention which it 

 gives to archseology, literature, and natural science, yet in 

 common with those institutions it takes a lively interest in the 

 practical progress of the great industries of the county, and all 

 that is calculated to promote the welfare of the Cornish people. 

 I need not therefore ap)ologize for referring to the reports which 

 kind friends have assisted me in obtaining on those subjects. 



The amount of Tin Ore produced annually in Cornwall during 

 the past ten years, has, roughly speaking, averaged a little over 

 14,000 tons, varying from a maximum of 15,000 in 1877, to a 

 minimum of 13,000 in 1881, and the price has ranged from £36 

 to £95 a ton. The produce in 1882 was 14,170 tons, or about 

 the average of the last ten years, and represented about 9,400 

 tons of metal, Cornish tin ore generally yielding about 65 per 



