President's Address Cx1x 
exhibits will mean an enormous amount of work, requiring all the 
energy of the new curator, who, we trust, will soon be appointed. 
That part of the work relating to the minerals, rocks, and fossils 
is already being done by Dr. Corstorphine, while many very aged- 
looking animals are to be replaced by fresh specimens. The comple- 
tion of the new Museum is another proof of the new era upon 
which science and scientific research are entering in South Africa. 
Among our sister societies, the Eastern Province Literary and 
Scientific Society, at Graham’s Town, ranks first. It consists of several 
sections, and is in a flourishing condition, as is shown by the papers 
read at the various meetings, and published as the Magazine of the Eastern 
Province Literary and Scientific Society in half-yearly numbers. 
The Natural History clubs at Port Elizabeth and King William’s 
Town, and the Natural History branch of the Mountain Club at Cape 
Town, are working on similar lines, holding monthly meetings and 
excursions. 
Johannesburg possesses two learned societies, both endeavouring to a 
certain extent to assist in the development of the industry which created 
that town. These are the Chemical and Metallurgical Society and the 
South African Geological Society, the latter having been formed in the 
beginning of this year, to the great rejoicing of all who wish progress 
and success to this branch of study in South Africa. 
In glancing over the record of what has been done recently, and what 
is being done, I cannot but help thinking that it might be more. On 
the other hand, this review shows that the spirit of investigation and 
research is alive among us, and that it has produced some excellent 
results. 
It is sometimes said that this Society is not fulfilling its object, that 
it does not do the work expected from it. But why, may I ask, do 
these malcontents—there are such grumblers intra muros et extra—not 
assist us either financially or scientifically in improving what they are 
pleased to call an unsatisfactory state of things? If we consider the 
small number of our members, and especially of the working members, 
we have reason not to be wholly dissatisfied with the work done, and it 
may not be superfluous to state that, apart from its scientific value, some 
of this work has led to measures of great practical importance. 
It was in 1878 that Sir James (then Mr.) Sivewright read a paper 
before this Society entitled ‘A Trans-African Telegraph,’ and to-day this 
fantastic scheme, as it was called at the time, is not only secured, but in 
a fair way of execution. 
The papers on ‘The Adulteration of Food in Cape Town,’ read by me 
in October, 1885, and in 1887, were the first publications in this country 
which showed the actual state of things in this matter, and which, based 
