12 ae ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS, 
The printing of the Transactions was a great burden in those 4 
years, and the want of means prevented some of the papers being — 
properly illustrated ; but in 1872 the Government liberally con- 
sented to have the annual volume brought out at the Government 
Printing Office, without cost to the Society, except in the matter 
of certain illustrations. 
The tide of prosperity in the affairs of the Society which we still 
enjoy first set in when we took possession of this building in 1875, — 
and appointed Professor Liversidge and Dr. Leibius to act as our 7 
Secretaries. To the enlightened zeal and indefatigable labours of _ 
these gentlemen we owe much of our present position. In 1875 _ 
the income rose suddenly to £222, and in the following year to — 
£413, In that year (1876) amended By-laws were passed ; Sec- ~ 
tions were organized to represent such branches of scientific study — 
as were thought likely to bring members together for quiet con- 
ference and mutual aid ; and arrangements were completed for — 
exchange of scientific publications with kindred Societies in dif- 
ferent parts of the world. Last year we sent out 1,013 copies of 
our Transactions and certain Colonial reports to 284 Institutions — 
and representative pe in 116 diff 
ized world ; and from 167 of these Institutions we received publi- a 
cations in return to the number of 7 49, some of them of great value. s 
In addition to these gifts we have been in regular receipt of a con- 4 
siderable number of leading periodicals, and we have‘been buying — 
scientific works as our funds would permit ; so that our library is 
now fairly stocked with standard books and periodicals in science, 
literature and art. 
In 1877 we began to collect funds for the purchase of our 
present building, obtaining also the promise of the Government 
to grant £1 for every £2 subscribed. The Government at the : 
same time liberally agreed to augment at the same rate our ordinary _ 
subscriptions, to meet current expenses, 
In 1878 the accounts show for the first time a Government 4 
grant of £200, in addition to the ordinary subscriptions of £433. 
The special subscription for the building amounted to £1,000, which 
i ie i it 
