182 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
ROYAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUT Walrus: 
ANNUAL MEETING. 
Sydney, 7th May, 1884.—Hon. J. Smith, M.D., President, in 
the chair. 
New members—Messrs. R. B. Baynes, W. A. Haswell, M.A., 
B.Sc), A. M‘Cormick, M.B., .C.M.,'M-R.C.S.E., and W*. Wy Wiis 
The annual report, which was taken as read, shows that the 
receipts on general account amounted to f1013 19s 8d, and the 
expenditure to £964 17s gd, leaving a balance of £49 1s 11d. The 
building fund account showed total receipts of £444 4s 11d, from 
which £400 had been paid in reduction of the mortgage, leaving 
£44 4s 11d in hand. 
The election of office-bearers for the ensuing year resulted as 
follows :—President—Mr. H. C. Russell, B.A., F.R.A.S.; vice-pre- 
sidents—Mr. A. W. Dixon, F.C.S., and Dr. W. Morris; hon. trea- 
surer— Mr. H. G. A. Wright, M.R.C.S.E.; hon, secretaries—Pro- 
fessor Liversidge, F.R.S., and Dr. Leibius, M.A., F.C.S.; members 
of council—Hon. Professor Smith, C.M.G., M.D, M.L.C., Messrs. 
Charles Moore, F.L.S., Robert Hunt, F.G.S., Christopher Rolles- 
ton; C.MG.; We Conder-and-P; Ri. Pediey: 
The retiring President delivered an address describing his 
scientific experiences during a recent visit to Europe. 
Sydney, 4th June, 1884.—Mr. H. C. Russell, F.R.A.S., Presi- 
dent, in the chair. 
New members—Messrs. R. 8S. Skirving, M.B, C.M., F. W. 
Syer, and G. W. Townsend. 
Papers—(r1.) ‘“‘ Rain and its causes,” by Mr. Edwin Lowe. The 
author advocates, amongst other things, a fair trial of cannon-firing 
to ascertain the truth of its supposed effects in forming clouds and 
causing rain, | 
(2.) The removal of bars from the entrance to our rivers,” by 
Mr. W. Shellshear, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E. 
The removal of bars from the entrance to our rivers is a work 
of national importance, directly affecting as it does the progress 
and trade of the whole group ot Australian colonies, and in New 
South Wales especially it is the great step necessary in the develop- 
ment of the abundant resources of our fertile coast districts. A 
paper on this subject may not, therefore, be without interest to the 
members of this society. The coast of New South Wales might 
not inaptly be described as ironbound, the cliffs in most cases ris- 
ing perpendicularly trom the water, the sea being of great depth 
right up to the shore. It is broken by a few bays and sandy 
beaches, some of the latter being of considerable length; but deep 
water is invariably tound at a moderate distance from the shore. 
The rivers fall into the sea mostly through sandy estuaries ob- 
structed by extensive sand-bars, but in some few instances they 
pass into rock-bound inlets of considerable depth, notably in the 
case of the Hawkesbury River. The formation of bars at the en- 
trances of our rivers is mainly due to the action of the waves in 
lifting large quantities ot sand as they pass into shallow water, the 
sand being carried up the estuary by the incoming tide, and is de- 
