1887-1888.] 45 



at any of our recent publications will show how extensive the 

 system has become. Not only are exchanges maintained 

 throughout Britain, but also in the United States— largely due 

 to the facilities afforded by the Smithsonian Institution — and 

 in addition with many of the Colonial and Continental 

 Societies. 



The commencement of the second decade of the Club's 

 existence was considered as appropriate to adopt the title of 

 11 Annual Report and Proceedings " for our publications, instead 

 of the former title only. The first year of that period is marked 

 specially in our history, by the fact that we sent a deputation 

 to the Bradford Meeting of the British Association, in order to 

 obtain such information as would enable the Club* to render 

 effective assistance in preparation for the meeting which had 

 been arranged to be held in Belfast in the following year. 

 From that date until the present we have annually appointed 

 a delegate to the Association's meetings, and have been formally 

 recognised as one of its corresponding Societies. I think I am 

 correct in stating that at the recent Manchester meeting we 

 were the only Irish Society so represented. 



In our Report for 1873-74 the project of the publication of a 

 guide book for the use of the members of the Association and 

 others, was first mooted. Though the time for its preparation 

 was but limited, the work was undertaken, and the publication 

 of our " Guide to Belfast and Adjacent Counties " successfully 

 accomplished. It is gratifying to find that the example which 

 we first set has been followed in other places, notably at the 

 meetings at Glasgow, Bristol, &c. 



During the Belfast meeting, the Club, aided by a grant from 

 the local Committee, brought together and exhibited in the 

 Ulster Minor Hall a large collection of Irish antiquities, which 

 were of much interest to those who visited our town at that 

 time. The year 1875 records Mr. Gray's resignation of the 

 office of Secretary, which he had held for the long period of ten 

 years, dining which his energetic services tended much to the 

 prosperity of the Club. It also records the accession to office 

 of his able successor, your present senior Secretary, Mr. William 

 Swanston, 



