518 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



by everyone that a New Hall was required, and by most that a 

 new Garden was very desirable. But when it was ascertained 

 that the cost of a Hall would be at least £50,000, the members of 

 the Council entirely despaired of raising such a sum, and it was 

 therefore decided to recommend to the Fellows a Garden as the 

 celebration of the Centenary ; and with this unpopular recom- 

 mendation the Council came before a general meeting of the 

 Fellows. The situation was saved by the President, who, in 

 an excellent speech, explained to the Fellows that the sole reason 

 for the Council's preferring the Garden scheme was the apparent 

 impossibility of raising the money for a Hall, although it was plain 

 that this would be by far the most useful memorial. The speech 

 was entirely successful. Three Fellows rose, one after the other, 

 and offered £1,000 each if the Council would adopt the scheme 

 for a New Hall ; and Baron Schroder, who was sitting next to 

 the President, whispered that he would give £5,000. Sir Trevor 

 himself added £500 and the Earl of Ilchester £300. Thus in the 

 space of a few minutes the promise of nearly £10,000 was obtained, 

 and the President announced that, after so practical a demonstra- 

 tion of the views of the Fellows, he, on behalf of the Council, 

 reversed the policy which had been placed before the meeting, 

 and decided that the Centenary of the Society should be cele- 

 brated by the erection of a Hall. He added that the Garden, 

 greatly as it was needed, must wait for the present. 



Sir Trevor's bold and wise action in executing this striking 

 change of policy in the name of the Council, without waiting to 

 consult his colleagues, was resented by some of the members, 

 and three of them resigned in consequence. The President, 

 however, did not act without thought. Recognizing that delay 

 in this emergency would be fraught with danger, " he grasped 

 the skirts of happy chance " and, soldier fashion, took the risks 

 of receiving " the blows of circumstance." 



Such is the history of the one and only disagreement in the 

 Council during the whole period of Sir Trevor's presidency 

 since 1887 ; and, much as he regretted the loss of his three 

 colleagues, he felt that he did right to reverse the previous 

 decision of the Council, since it had been made on insufficient 

 grounds. No coup d'etat recorded in history has more absolutely 

 justified itself by its results. Not only did the Society thereby 

 become possessed of the magnificent Hall and offices in Vincent 

 Square, but the proceedings at this memorable meeting bore 

 consequences of an important nature in the subsequent gift to 

 the Society by Sir Thomas Hanbury of the garden at Wisley. 



All those who have served on the Council of the Society can 



