28 Annual Meeting. 



when housed in a suitable museum, would be of the greatest 

 scientific value to the people of their city and province for all 

 times. On the other hand, when the specimens were removed, 

 the Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society could 

 increase their finances by letting the present museum, the additional 

 revenue being spent absolutely and entirely on scientific objects 

 (as they were obliged by their trust), such as bringing able 

 lecturers to address them, or in any other manner that their trust 

 scheme allowed, and in this way the public would again be the 

 gainers. In the meantime until the new museum was got ready 

 they Would be quite prepared to allow the Corporation to have 

 the use of the old museum, with the specimens, on terms to be 

 mutually arranged. In conclusion, Sir John Byers thanked the 

 Press for the admirable reports they gave of their meetings, and he 

 said that old Society was deeply indebted to Mr. R. M. Young and 

 Mr. John Horner, their honorary secretary and honorary treasurer, 

 both of whom were doing such splendid public work for the 

 community, and who in that respect were each following in the 

 footsteps of their fathers, who were among Belfast's most respected 

 and gifted citizens, one of whom, the Right Hon. Robert Young, 

 they were pleased to see with them on that occasion. 



Sir James Henderson, in seconding the resolution, said it 

 would be a great loss to the community if that Society were 

 extinguished. They would be delighted when they got their 

 new Museum erected to have lectures delivered in it the 

 same way as they were in that building. They were a 

 feature of the Society, and he hoped they would not be 

 discontinued, even when the collections and specimens had 

 passed into the hands of the ratepayers. He was particularly 

 gratified that the transfer to the Corporation should take place 

 during his period of office as chairman of the Library and 

 Technical Instruction Committee. He had been an admirer of 

 that Museum from his earliest days, and he trusted that the rate- 

 payers, when they got possession, would appreciate it as much as 

 some of those present did when they were young. In regard to 

 that transfer, he thought everything had been done in a legal way 



