418 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



quence a meeting of a few friends was held in the Liver- 

 pool Town Hall on the 30th ultimo. The Mayor, R. S. 

 Graves, Esq., presided. There were present Colonel Wm. 

 Brown, Dr. Collinowood, Captain Anderson, Mr. Rath- 

 bone, Mr. Mac KAY, and other eminent shipowners and 

 gentlemen favourable to the scheme. After Captain 

 Anderson had explained his views, your Secretary endea- 

 voured to point out how societies in interior towns could 

 contribute to its success, and participate in its advantages ; 

 how shipmasters would improve themselves by the collec- 

 tion of specimens, and the study of natural sciences in 

 general, but more particularly that of meteorology, to en- 

 able them to shorten voyages, and to reduce the losses 

 shipowners and underwriters now constantly suffer. All 

 were deeply impressed with the advantages to be derived 

 if a good working plan could be organised. None could at 

 once be formed without some objections ; but a committee 

 was appointed to take the subject into consideration, and 

 report thereon. 



It will be a source of gratification to this Section if, 

 through its instrumentality, the first steps were taken to 

 commence a work the importance of which, if thoroughly 

 carried out, will be considerable. To promote scientific 

 research amongst a numerous class of men and youths 

 whose opportunities of collecting specimens and making 

 scientific observations in all parts of the world are une- 

 qualled, is an object worthy of our attention ; and although 

 another generation may be required fully to develop its 

 usefulness, some good may be done even in our day. 



With such purposes in view, the future prospects of our 

 Section are encouraging j and although in the highly 

 scientific branches of microscopical research we have done 

 but little, it is to be hoped that our professional members 

 may, from their stores of experience and study, contribute 

 more liberally to the general fund. 



