xxiv President's Address. 



In recognition of these opposite facts, it has recently been 

 proposed and discussed at our council meetings how to 

 encompass the two ends, so as to prevent them conflicting 

 one with the other ; how to make our Society more accessible, 

 and to become more immediately and personally useful to 

 the public, and at the same time cherishing all that concerns 

 original scientific investigation. In a new country, where all 

 or almost all must be regarded as bread winners, with each 

 a day's work of ordinary business to perform each day, and 

 with relatively little unbroken time for close study, good 

 original scientific papers are not always to be had ; and with 

 us, in our past experience, evenings have occasionally lapsed 

 for want of contributions. We propose to limit the number 

 of ordinary meetings, and to inaugurate a series of meetings 

 of a more social character. At these latter it is proposed to 

 give short lectures, illustrations, and experiments, not 

 necessarily original or involving the preparation of a paper, 

 but interesting as explaining important points in science 

 and technology. 



We hope by this alteration to increase our connections and 

 usefulness on the one hand, and to concentrate our efforts in 

 the pursuit of original research on the other. 



A desire has also been expressed by some of our members 

 to form an astronomical and physical section of the Society, 

 according to the provision made in the rules for such a 

 course. I think you will agree with me that the formation 

 of this section is to be greatly desired ; it would, I believe, 

 ultimately become a. strong one, as it will embrace many 

 fields of research which are not only exceedingly interesting, 

 but are of the highest importance to the intellectual and 

 material advancement of the community. 



