COMMITTER’S ADDRESS. 187 
year by year, small by degrees, but we cannot add, beautifully 
less. Nevertheless, the blastings expose in the course of destruc- 
tion, many instructive and beautiful sections. 
The whole coast from this point is fraught with beauty, the 
numberless little bays, and the varied contour of the cliffs and 
rocks, form a constant succession of pictures. Frenchman’s Bay, 
Manhaven, and other familiar names will bring up before the 
minds of many, pleasant recollections. 
Then came Marsden and all its attractions, so often descanted 
on in former addresses. 
Here all, and how many that was, we fear to guess, sat down 
to tea in Peter Allen’s great ball-room, not decked with the 
adornments a stranger would expect from its name, but hewn 
out of the solid and living limestone rock. 
The business of the evening was commenced by the election of 
fourteen new members, which led naturally to a discussion on a 
subject of vital importance to the Club, but one very difficult to 
deal with, namely the restriction of its numbers; many have 
feared that the Club was outgrowing its strength, and that its 
scientific element might be swamped by the merely pleasure 
seeking one. That this fear is an imaginary one, we are con- 
vineed, and although the great increase of members undoubtedly 
entails increased responsibility and labour on your officers, 
we doubt the policy of any society quarrelling with its own pros- 
perity. That some regulations to meet the emergency, may be 
desirable, we do not doubt, and leave to this anniversary meeting 
their discussion and consideration, trusting that whatever decision 
is arrived at, may be conducive to the real interests and con- 
tinued usefulness of the Club. Our respected ex-president, Mr. 
Ingham, M.P. for South Shields, who was present, expressed 
a hope that nothing would be done to render the Society in any 
way exclusive, or to confine it more strictly than at present to 
purely scientific men, a hope in which we cordially unite. 
After much friendly discussion on the subject, in which our 
late President, Mr. Abbes, Mr. Ingham, and others took part, 
the meeting passed to other business. 
WMOUen ve) Bis TIT x 
