XVII 
The last Exhibition was held in the month of August 
at the Royal College, and the attendance was very 
large. The absence of His Excellency the Governor at 
the distribution of prizes was regretted. The cause was 
explained by His Honor General Smyth. Lady Gordon 
kindly consented to give away the prizes c fibred by the 
Governor, which appeared to acquire additional value 
from being received at her hands. 
We are happy to be able to announce that the money 
received at the gate has sufficed to pay all expenses, 
even leaving a surplus. This is no small result, as in 
general, there is a deficit to be made good. We now 
allude to the subject in a financial point of view, a fur- 
ther Report will be prepared as usual, as soon as the 
President and members of the Exhibition Committee 
shall have received all the notes promised by the heads of 
Sections. At all events we think we may say that the 
Exhibition was in no wise inferior to the former one, either 
in the quality or the abundance of the articles exhibited. 
Before closing this perhaps too long Report (but I 
could not avoid going into details) I beg that these of my 
colleagues whose names I may have omitted, will kindly 
excuse me. 
The thanks of the Society are especially due to these 
gentlemen whose high position in the Government or 
as heads of large Commercial Firms, does not permit them 
often to attend our meetings. Thanks for their assistance 
and the punctual fulfilment of their engagements, as 
shewn by the Treasurer's account, to them principally is 
due that the Society progresses, and that Exhibitions 
may get up year after year with increasing success. 
Port Louis, Thursday, lltli April 1872. 
L. Bouton, — Secretary. 
