" In March, 1832, the Council insertetl another adver- 

 tisement in the public journals, oflPering a premium of £50, 

 and a Gold Medal, for the best Essay on the Remains of 

 Ancient Military Architecture in Ireland. 



" In March, 1834, the Council awarded and paid the Gold 

 Medal and premium aforesaid to the same Mr. George Petrie, 

 himself a member of the Council, and the proposer of the 

 question, as he was also of that of the Round Towers ; and, 

 as in that case, he took away the manuscript, to prepare it for 

 the Press ; but, from 1834, to the present hour, no step ap- 

 pears to have been taken by Mr. Petrie for its publication. 



" In the year 1838, Mr. Petrie read an Essay on Ancient 

 Bells before the Academy, which was referred to the Coun- 

 cil for publication ; for the embellishment of which, the sum 

 of £31 10*. appears to have been paid to one artist, and 

 £44 to another, for engraving copperplates to illustrate it ; 

 which Essay has not appeared in the Transactions, nor does 

 it appear that the Council have taken any steps for its pub- 

 lication. 



" In the year , another Gold Medal was awarded to 



the same Mr. Petrie, for what was called an Essay on Tarah, 

 which was read before the Academy, as was alleged, by per- 

 mission of Colonel Colby, it having been prepared, under 

 the direction of the Ordnance Survey, by the persons em 

 ployed thereon, of whom, I believe, Mr. Petrie was one. 

 This work was certainly the production of several. 



" I have thought it right to lay these facts before your 

 Lordship, in consequence of having failed in prevailing on 

 the Council and the Academy to correct these deviations, 

 as I consider them, from the correct mode of conducting the 

 affairs, and disposing of the funds of the Academy intrusted 

 to the Council. Your Lordship's letter to the Academy of 

 the 23rd November, 1843, calling for an account of ' how 

 far the objects of the Academy have been attained, and the 

 circumstances under which the public grant to the Academy 



