vi Report to the General Meeting. 
vacancies caused bj the death of Mr. Carrington and the resig- 
nation of Mr. Bowly are still under the consideration of the 
Council. 
The Council have also to announce with great regret the death 
of Mr. Henry Cantrell, who was for many years one of the 
Auditors of the Society. His place it is proposed to fill by the 
election of Mr. Charles Gay Roberts. 
The half-yearly statement of accounts to the 30th June last 
has been examined and certified by the auditors and accountants 
of the Society, and has been published in the last number of the 
' Journal,' for the information of the Members of the Society. 
The funded Capital of the Society has been increased by the 
investment of 3000/., and now stands at 15,408/. Os. M. New 
Three per Cents. The balance of the current account in the 
hands of the bankers on the 1st instant, was 675Z. 75., and 
4000/. remained on deposit, to cover the amount of unpaid 
accounts connected with the Derby Meeting, and to provide, if 
needful, materials and plant for the Reading Showyard. 
The Council are glad to be able to announce that the experi- 
ment of constructing the Showyard by their own officers, and 
without the intervention of a contractor, which they commenced 
this year at Derby, has proved successful. A carefully pre- 
pared statement of accounts has been submitted to them, 
showing a saving to the Society under the present system of 
about 1300/. 
The Derby Meeting was held during a period of uninterrupted 
sunshine ; and this fortunate circumstance, coupled with the 
visit of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and the 
accessibility of the Showyard, made the Meeting one of the 
most successful in the history of the Society, The Council are 
glad to announce that the large attendance of the public, and 
the more economical administration of the expenditure rendered 
necessary by recent losses, have together resulted in an addition 
to the Society's funds of about 4000/. 
The offer of the Society's Gold Medal for the best Sheaf- 
binder, the binding material to be other than wire, produced 
an interesting competition, although the trials were much inter- 
rupted by unfavourable weather. The Awards of the Judges 
