No. 63. — 1910.] PRocEEDmGS. 
59 
at no period within his memory had the Society been more 
prosperous than during the short Presidentship of Sir Hugh 
CHfford. He thought he was expressing the wishes of all in hoping 
that the Chairman would reconsider his decision. 
17. The Chairman said he was very sensible of the honour 
they had done him, but his own strong opinion in the matter was 
that the President of the Society should be present in the Colony, 
and should be an active force both on the Council and at the 
Meetings of the Society. It seemed to him that to elect any 
person President a few weeks before his departure from the Colony , 
when during the remainder of the current year he could not, 
humanly speaking, be in it, was not to do quite full justice to 
the Society and not to fill the Presidential chair in a way that 
was likely to serve the Society's best interests. 
1 8. Being further urged the Chairman said he did not wish to 
press his objection, and the office-bearers were then, on the 
motion of Mr. E. W. Jayewardene, seconded by Dr. C. A. 
Hewawitarena, elected as follows : — 
President.~The Hon. Sir Hugh Clifford, K.C.M.G. 
Vice-Presidents. — The Hon. Messrs. J. P. Lewis and P. 
Arunachalam, Dr. A. Willey and Mr. Philipp Freiidenberg. 
Council. — ^Mudaliyars A. M. Gunasekera, Simon de Silva, and 
R. C. Kailasapillai, the Hon. Mr. H. L. Crawford, and Messrs. C. 
Drieberg, R. G. Anthonisz, E. B. Denliam, M. K. Bamber, D. B. 
Jayatilaka, P. E. Pieris, E. W. Perera, and J. Still. 
Honorary Treasurer. — Mr. Gerard A. Joseph. 
Honorary Secretaries. — Messrs. H. C. P. Bell, J. Harward, and 
Gerard A. Joseph. 
19. Mr. Roles inquired the date of Mr. Lewis's departm-e. 
The Chairman said that it was the same as his own, but 
he gathered that the Council put forward his name as a Vice- 
President out of compliment to so learned, distinguished, and 
useful a Member. 
Vote of Thanks. 
20. Mr. Perera proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the 
Chairman, who had been not only an ornament but an active 
force for the good of the Society. 
