THE OUT-GOING PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS, 1922. 



In this, my farewell speech, as President of the Societe 

 Guernesiaise, I must attempt a short statement of our pre- 

 sent position. 



When I had the honour of becoming your President the 

 Membership of the Society was 93, it is now 140, and I do 

 hope the numbers will increase in like proportion every year, 

 until, not only every States official, but every Guernseyman, 

 as well as the leading members of the English and French 

 Colonies, will belong as a matter of course; for I think our 

 new name implies a larger scope, and therefore I hope that 

 everyone interested in the Island will find help and instruc- 

 tion in the pages of our Transactions. 



When I came into office the Societe was terribly hampered 

 by debt. The enormously increased costs of paper and 

 printing had led to a deficit in our accounts of no less than 

 £30. This, thanks, primarily to the munificence of the 

 Council of the Guille-Alles, who gave us a donation of £i$\ 

 then to the public spirit of the members and their friends 

 whose patronage of our Soiree resulted in a profit of £i$\ 

 and finally the accretion of so many new members, has now 

 been changed into a profit of about £33 instead of a deficit 

 of £30. 



This is indeed a matter for congratulation, for we shall 

 now be able to make our Transactions still more worthy of 

 the Societe. We shall be able to print more articles, and to 

 include more illustrations. I am glad to say that our Meet- 

 ings, indoor as well as out, have been well attended, which 

 shows that more members are taking an active interest in the 

 Societe, and I do hope that more will come forward and 

 co-operate in the active work which the Societe means, and 

 will contribute papers, and show objects of interest at forth- 

 coming meetings. For, like everything of value the price 

 must be paid — and the price is — Work. Any method will do, 

 if there be but diligence, for our aims cannot be carried out, 

 as Kipling says : — 



" By saying ( Oh how beautiful ! ' 

 And sitting in the shade.' ' 

 But every section of our interests, Archaeology, History, 

 Botany, Ornithology, etc., mean hours of long and patient 



