REPORT FROM TliE COUNCIL 



TO THE 



ANNIVERSARY MEETING, MAY 1, 1847. 



At the last Anniversary the Council had to regret that the debt 

 of the Society had unavoidably increased during the previous 

 year to the extent of 448/. 1 2s. 6d. 



The Report of the Auditors for the year just ended (which 

 Report was presented at the Meeting on April 20. in compliance 

 with the wish expressed at the last Anniversary) enables the 

 Council now to state, that the debt has been decreased by the 

 sum of 587/. 19«. 2d. ; and they trust that the measures which 

 are either in progress or contemplation, for the improvement of 

 the financial condition of the Society, will, in the course of the 

 ensuing year, enable them to announce a more considerable di- 

 minution of the Society's liabilities. The reduction now an- 

 nounced would, indeed, have been more considerable had not the 

 Council been obliged to oppose in Parliament the progress of a 

 railway which would have ruined the Garden had it passed, and 

 also to advance to Mr. Hartweg the amount of two years' 

 allowances, in consequence of the impossibility of pro- 

 curing for him a money credit in California. These two 

 heads of expense amount to 270/. ; but the cost of Mr. 

 Hartweg's mission will, of course, be inconsiderable for the 

 coming year. 



The Council, however, feel that the diminution of the Society's 

 debts, important as it undoubtedly is, does not justify them in 

 neglecting the great purposes for which the Society was incor- 

 porated, and for the promotion of which the funds at their 

 disposal are intrusted to them. 



In other respects, as well as in the diminution of debt, the 

 affairs of the Society are more satisfactory than they were at the 

 last Anniversary. All the great heads of income have ad- 

 vanced : — 



1845-6. 



1846-7. 



Admission fees 

 Compositions . . 

 Annual contributions 

 Transactions sold . 

 Exhibitions . . . 



£. s. d. 

 277 4 

 210 



£. s. d. 

 296 2 

 294 



3,003 

 74 6 

 2,135 1 



3,102 15 

 85 5 7 

 2,481 18 3 



£5,699 10 1 6,260 10 



VOL. II. "itf 



