234 Nahiral History Sociehj. 



to mark out the progress of any public Institution, and to call the 

 attention of its supporters to its fii-st principles and objects. Your 

 Council, therefore, feel that they cannot do better than take up 

 the subject as they received it, and continue the narrative down 

 to the present time. 



The first subject which engaged the attention of the Society 

 during the past year, was the appointment of a Committee to be 

 its representative at the Annual Meeting of the Americaa Asso- 

 ciation for the advancement of Science, held at Albany in the month 

 of August last, and to solicit the selection of Montreal as the lo- 

 cality for the next annual assembly of that distinguished Society. 

 A Committee was also appointed to consult with the City Corpo- 

 ration and with influential citizens to obtain their concurrence and 

 assistance in accomphshing this purpose. Your Council have 

 much pleasure in reporting that the labors of both Committees 

 have been crowned with complete success. Your deputation was 

 received vnth the utmost cordiality by the Association. Their 

 invitation was unanimously accepted. The representatives of 

 other cities, especially those of Baltimore, seeing the general de- 

 sire of the Assembly to meet in Montreal, in the most honorable 

 manner withdrew their claims for the time. 



A large local Committee has been organised for the purpose of 

 making the necessary arrangements for receiving and entertaining 

 the Association, and is now actively engaged in this work. In- 

 fluential private individuals have come forward to assist in 

 various ways to facilitate and complete the arrangements necessary 

 for this important undertaking. The Society's sister Institution 

 in Toronto has also most honorably ofi'ered to co-operate with us 

 in carrying the project to a successful issue. The Government 

 and influential members of the Legislature have taken a deep in- 

 terest in the matter, as likely to promote the progress of science 

 in the Province, and have indicated their purpose to do what lies 

 in their power to render this meeting popular and beneficial. 

 Some of the Railroad and Ocean Steamship Companies have 

 granted valuable assistance in the form of free passages to scienti- 

 fic gentlemen invited by the Local Committee from diftei-ent 

 quarters, to take part in the proceedings of the Association. 



Your coimcil anticipate from the respectability, efliciency and 

 zeal of the Committee to which the American Association have 

 intrusted the necessary preparations for their meeting in August 

 next, that the result will largely contribute to the interests of this 



