i88 9 -9°0 l 9 1 



The first regular meeting of the winter session was held in 

 the Museum, College Square North, on Tuesday evening, 

 November 19th. 



The President (Mr. William Gray, M.R.I.A.), opened the 

 proceedings. He said : — In taking a rapid survey of 

 the events that have transpired around us since I addressed 

 you in 1880 — events that were the direct outcome of that 

 address — I think we cannot fail to see that our speculations 

 have not been altogether visionary, that our deliberations 

 had a direct practical result, and that to-day we are in the 

 enjoyment of public advantages, the direct outcome of our 

 Club's thought and action. In my address of November, 1880, 

 I held out the hope that a proper fernery and aquarium would 

 be formed in the Royal Botanic Gardens. Unfortunately my 

 project had to give way to the directors' more popular scheme 

 for providing what is now known as the Exhibition Hall. 

 Since then nothing has been done to provide an aquarium ; 

 indeed, the small tanks formerly maintained have been aban- 

 doned, and what is equally to be regretted, the whole botanical 

 collection, the pride and glory of the original promoters, has 

 been entirely rooted out. During the past year a fernery has 

 been formed in the Botanic Gardens, on the site of my original 

 project. 1 would be glad to find it more educational in its char- 

 acter, and to see more attention given to our native ferns. It is, 

 however, a step in the right direction, and I hope the directors 

 will see their way to aid in making the love of flowers more 

 popular, by favouring us occasionaly with a worthy exhibi- 

 tion of flowers in bloom. Another outcome of the address of 

 1880 is the adoption of the Public Libraries' Act, and the 

 establishment of a central municipal institution, embracing a 

 Public Library, an Art Gallery, and a Museum. This project, 

 I submit, must be considered a most important event in the 

 history of Belfast, and is the direct outcome of our deliberations 

 here. The first formal action was taken at a meeting called 

 on my requisition, and held on April nth, 1881, at Messrs. 

 Campbell's establishment, then in Donegall Place, resulting 



