On motion the report was approved 
and ordered placed on fileand the com- 
mittee was instructed to proceed along 
the general lines indicated in the 
report. 
The following were elected to active 
membership: 
E. E. Valentini, Tompkinsville. 
Stafford C. Edwards, New Brighton. 
W. F. Keeney, West New Brighton. 
The election of officers for the ensuing 
year resulted in the re-election of the 
present incumbents, as follows: 
President, Howard R. Bayne. 
Secretary, Arthur Hollick. 
Treasurer, J. Blake Hillyer. 
Curator, C. A. Ingalls. 
Trustee, Wm. T. Davis. 
On motion, it was Resolved: that the 
regular meetings of the Association 
during the ensuing year be held on the 
third Saturday evening of each month 
except June, July, August and Sep- 
tember. 
The annual address of the president, 
Mr. Howard R. Bayne, was read by 
the secretary, as follows: 
ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 
It is recognized as appropriate to lay 
before the annual meeting of the Asso- 
ciation a brief report on the part of it’s 
president. 
Since the last annual meeting we 
passed through one of the most incle- 
ment winters within the memory of the 
present generation. Continuous cold 
weather was accompanied by frequent 
storms sharp and severe. It was fre- 
quently said by our neighbors that we 
were having an old fashioned winter. 
A good deal of suffering resulted, and 
traveling about the Island, especially 
during the night time, was difficult, 
sometimes impracticable, and frequent- 
ly inconvenient. In spite, however, of 
these impediments, the meetings of the 
Association were marked by a full at- 
30 
tendance, and an intelligent interest in 
its proceedings. 
We have been entertained and in- 
structed by a number of able and valu- 
able papers, and by the presentation of 
many interesting specimens from the 
mineral, vegetable and animal king- 
doms. We owe a debt of gratitude 
which we cannot easily pay, to our fel- 
low members who have contributed so 
much to our pleasure and who have 
both entertained and instructed us at 
the expense of time, patience and capa- 
city on their parts. 
To Dr. Arthur Hollick, we are indebt- 
ed for many interesting geological 
specimens which he has added to our 
museum, and to several papers on ge- 
ological subjects which will increase in 
value as time goeson. Mr. William T. 
Davis has contributed a number of 
papers, descriptive of the specimens of 
vegetable and animal life, which he has 
exhibited at our meetings, all of which 
have been characterized by his usual 
accuracy of statement and careful re- 
search. Interesting botanical speci- 
mens have been submitted from time to 
time by Dr. Philip Dowell, and relics 
of Indian handiwork by Mr. Alanson 
B. Skinner, who has also contributed 
several papers on the subject of the 
Staten Island Indians, which show 
careful study and research unusual in 
One of his years. We are also indebted 
to Mr. William Allaire Shortt for a 
paper entitled ‘‘The Vagaries of Vot- 
ing: A Study of Defaced and Defective 
Ballots.’’ This paper was illustrated 
by black-board sketches and diagrams, 
and was especially interesting to many 
of us who take interestin public affairs. 
This paper we hope to publish in full, 
with illustrations, in the near future, 
as a special number of the Proceedings. 
Mr. Edward C. Delavan has added to 
our historical information by his paper 
entitled ‘‘The Dispute Between the 
Proprietors of East New Jersey and the 
Duke of York. Concerning the Title to 
ste ainda 
