122 



The Forty-Seventh General Meeting. 



has nearly completed those of the Deanery of Wilton. It is hoped 

 that as soon as this deanery is complete, a beginning may be made 

 by printing these inscriptions. The Committee would suggest that 

 this is peculiarly a work which the various Members might well 

 undertake for their own Parish Churches and churchyards. Anyone 

 who is disposed to help in this matter is requested to communicate 

 with the Rev. E. H. Goddard on the subject. The thanks of the 

 Society are due to the Rev. G. P. Toppin for much help in tran- 

 scription connected with these inscriptions. 



''Lord Avebury (upon the selection of which title by our old 

 friend and respected Vice-President, formerly Sir John Lubbock, 

 wc may as Wiltshiremen congratulate ourselves), recently intro- 

 duced an Ancient Monuments Bill into the House of Lords, which 

 has passed several stages. It extends to Great Britain an 

 arrangement which has existed in Ireland for some years, and places 

 under protection not merely pre-historic remains, as the present 

 Act of Parliament does, but ' any structure, erection, or monument, 

 of historic or architectural interest.' The powers of protection are 

 to be vested in local authorities. As archaeologists we may express 

 the hope that these powers may be exercised with discretion, and 

 become compulsory whilst any relics remain to be protected. 



" We welcome the Lord Bishop of Bristol as our new President, 

 and feel confident that under his auspices not only in that part of 

 the .county which is in his diocese, but elsewhere, the Society 

 will continue to flourish and maintain its reputation. 



" In accordance with our rules Honorary Officers of the Society 

 and the Committee will be elected at this Meeting for the ensuing 

 year. 



" The Society meets for the third time at Malmesbury. In 1862 

 and 1882 our annual gathering' was held here under the presidency 

 of Mr. E. D. B. Estcourt and Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice res- 

 pectively ;■ Mr. Forrester and Dr. Jennings having on both occasions 

 most efficiently performed the duties of Honorary Secretaries to 

 the Meeting. It is hoped the present Meeting may be second to 

 none." 



Mr. C. H. Talbot moved the adoption of the report, and 



