94 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
Treasurer — William Thomas Suffolk, Esq. 
Secretaries — Prof. F. Jeffrey Bell, M.A. ; Rev. W. H. Dallinger, 
LL.D., F.R.S. 
Twelve other Members of Council — *C. Edmund Aikin, Esq., B.A., 
M.R.C.S. ; Conrad Beck, Esq. ; Alfred W. Bennett, Esq., M.A., B.Sc., 
E. L.S. ; Edward Dadswell, Esq. ; *R. G. Hebb, Esq., M.A., M.D., 
F. R.C.P. ; George C. Karop, Esq., M.R.C.S. ; *Prof. E. Ray Lankester, 
M.A., LL.D., F.R.S. ; the Hon. Sir Ford North; Thomas H. Powell, 
Esq.; Charles F. Rousselet, Esq.; Jolm Jewell Yezey, Esq.; Thomas 
Charters White, Esq., M.R.C.S., L.D.S. 
The President said he had one other matter of business only re- 
maining to be performed, and that was the very pleasurable duty of 
inducting the newly elected President, their old friend Mr. E. M. 
Nelson, and in so doing he felt that he was installing one who would 
fill the chair with great ability, and with great credit to the Society. 
Mr. E. M. Nelson, who was cordially received on taking the chair, 
said he sincerely thanked the Fellows for the honour they had done 
him in electing him their President, to occupy the chair that had been 
so ably filled by Mr. Michael during the past four years. It was usual 
at this point for the new President to adjourn the meeting until the 
next month ; but he proposed to depart from that custom, and to ask 
their kind attention to a few remarks on the present condition of the 
Society ; and begged their indulgence if he seemed to be too plain- 
spoken. He had no wish to pose as a pessimist ; nevertheless, he re- 
garded the present time as a very critical one in the history of the 
Society. There were difficulties ahead that would require very careful 
and skilful handling ; and it was because he firmly believed they might 
all be overcome, if the Fellows, when made acquainted with them, 
would only resolve to work together and support the Council, that he 
was addressing them in that way. 
The Balance Sheet which they had just heard read, though it gave 
a true statement of cash receipts and payments for the past year, did 
not really place them in a position to realise the present financial posi- 
tion of the Society. When he told them that, on the 31st of December 
last, there was owing to the Society a sum of nearly 500Z. for arrears of 
subscriptions, he felt sure they would agree with him that this was a 
most improper state of things. It was not in accordance with the dignity 
of the Society that this should be the case, neither was it fair to the 
Council, who were quite unable to meet their obligations (which 
amounted to a larger sum) without trespassing on investments which 
have been prudently put by in former years. A reference to the 
Balance Sheet would also show that a legacy left to the Society during 
the past year, which it would have been right to have treated as capital, 
had been absorbed in the year’s expenditure. Before proceeding further, 
he therefore appealed earnestly to the Fellows of the Society to remove 
the present anxieties of the Treasurer and Council by promptly paying 
their subscriptions, both due and overdue. 
* Those with an asterisk (*) had not held during the preceding year the office 
for which they were nominated. 
