NATURE NOTES. 
190 
THE NATIONAL TRUST: ITS WORK AND NEEDS. 
HE National Trust held its Annual Meeting in July 
under the Presidency of the Duke of Westminster at 
Grosvenor House, and among the speakers who advo- 
cated its claims for support were Sir Robert Hunter, 
Mr. Alfred Waterhouse, R.A., the Right Hon. Shaw-Lefevre, 
Canon Wilberforce, Professor Herkomer, Mr. Walter Crane, 
Mr. Briscoe Eyre, Mr. Ashbee, and the Hon. Secretary, Canon 
Rawnsley. Letters were read from Lord Thring, the Earl of 
Winchelsea, Mr. James Bryce, Sir George Baden-Powell, the 
President of Magdalen, W. B. Richmond, R. A., and others, so that 
it cannot be denied that this, the youngest-born of our patriotic 
societies that aim at preserving beautiful and historic Great 
Britain to future generations, lacks support of men who carry 
weight with the public mind. But its aims and claims are as 
yet comparatively unknown. 
It is a body of men whose council is partly elected by the 
annual meeting of its members, and partly representative of the 
universities and great national institutions of the land and socie- 
ties with kindred aims. Thus the Commons Preservation 
Society, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, the 
Society of Antiquaries, the Royal Institute of British Architects, 
the Linnaean and Entomological Society, the Kyrle Society, and 
last, but not least, the Selborne Society nominate a member 
upon the Council of the National Trust. A very interesting 
communication was made to us at our Annual Meeting by the 
Selborne Society’s representative. Dr. Dudley Buxton. Its 
Executive has such names upon it as Sir Robert Hunter, Mr. 
Maurice, Mr. St. Loe Strachey, Miss Octavia Hill, Mr. Briscoe 
Eyre, Mr. Ashbee, Miss Yorke, and Mr. Herbert Phillips. 
It is the only body in our land with kindred aims, that has 
a charter, and can as a corporation hold whatever lands or 
houses come into its hands in trust for the nation. By the 
articles of its association it cannot divide any profits among its 
members. Its work is purely patriotic and public-spirited. It 
aims at rescuing from the hands of the speculator or the jerry 
builder, or the improver, the beauty-spots of our land. The 
waterfalls, the wild glens, the coast cliffs, the reaches of river, 
the celebrated view points, the stretches of moorland that from 
time to time may come into its possession to keep “ secure from 
rash assault.” It aims at securing from demolition or decay the 
historic houses or sites associated with the past history and 
literature of the land. It aims at preserving any national monu- 
ment or ruin of national interest from destruction ; but it does 
not aim at being a wealthy corporation. It looks upon itself 
rather as a body to receive gifts and be their custodian. And 
it has already become possessor of the most beautiful part of 
the sea cliff above the town of Barmouth, and has been asked 
