XX President's Address 



of inhabitants in this part of the globe, and also, further, in 

 Victoria taking an honourable, independent share in the 

 science of the globe, on the progress of which sustenance 

 and material wealth must largely depend in all futurity." 



The Botanical Gardens, under Mr. W. R. Guilfoyle, are 

 being improved in various ways. New lawns and walks are 

 being constructed, and native Australian plants are carefully 

 cultivated, and, being distinctly named, enable visitors to 

 identify and classify them when met with elsewhere. New 

 plants are constantly procured by exchanging with botanical 

 gardens in other parts of the world. Specimens for educa- 

 tional purposes are supplied to the Training College of the 

 Education Department and other institutions, and a large 

 and complete collection of fibres, seeds, seed capsules, ferns^ 

 &c., have been transmitted to the Indian and Colonial 

 Exhibition. 



The Zoological Gardens in the Royal Park have also been 

 much improved during the past year, and a large number of 

 valuable and interesting animals from other parts of the 

 world have been added. 



ENGINEERING. 



The most important event in local engineering during the 

 past year is the completion of the new channel of the Yarra. 

 This will permit vessels of the largest tonnage to reach the 

 city, instead of remaining at Sandridge or Williamstown, 

 and is the first step toward making Melbourne one of the 

 finest ports in the world. The vast area of low-lying ground, 

 free from rock or other impediment to excavation, is 

 admirably suited for the construction of docks and ware- 

 houses, with ample road and railway communication. The 

 enlargement and shortening of the channel of the Yarra, 

 and the construction of the new bridges, which are already 

 commenced, will greatly reduce the rise of the water in time 

 of flood, and so prevent the recurrence of the damage that 

 has been done in past years. 



