ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS, 



Delivered 2otli May, 1870, hy the Bev. W. B. Clarke, M.A., 

 F.O.S., ^c, Vice-Fresidenf. 



GrENTLEMEIS' OP THE EoTAL SOCIETY, — 



Some remarks towards the close of last year's Address 

 indicated a hope, that on the present occasion my place would 

 be filled by a younger and more active member of our body. 



But, having received from the Council an intimation, that 

 some inconvenience may arise, unless I again venture into the 

 field, I propose to notice a few of the topics which it may be 

 advisable to consider at this first meeting of a new year. 



We may, I believe, congratulate each other on the fact 

 •elicited by the Treasurer's Eeport, that we are not in debt, wbich, 

 as times go, may be held to be a condition of comparative 

 prosperity. But we are still unable to meet certain demands 

 which, must be met, if we would carry out the views which on 

 former occasions have been spoken of. 



Our Volume for the session of 1868 is now published ; but it 

 lacks an abstract of our discussions, and contains no illustrations. 

 These will, however, be necessary for the Volume of 1869, now 

 in the press, and others may be required in subsequent years. 



In some of the Scientific Societies at home, the funds are 

 supplemented by the authors of communications, when the 

 papers are of a nature to require considerable expent;e. 



It has occurred to myself, to be charged in this way for a 

 lithographic plate, appended to a paper des-ciibing some portion 

 of the geology of New South "Wales, and for that plate, I paid 

 more than £12 sterling. Of course I was allowed such copies of 

 the plate as I required. 



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