310 
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE 
three preceding years ; namely, that a mere relation of facts 
is all that will require your attention. 
They would first call your attention to the following Report 
of the House Committee : 
“Your Committee, in reporting a resume, of their labours, 
the result of which is this day before you, would observe 
that the first object of their consideration, in February, 
1852, was the taking of a house. No. 38, Hart Street, 
Bloomsbury. This was to have been let at a rental of £85 
per annum, but while negociations w r ere going on, the 
owner became a bankrupt, and the property w r as ordered by 
the assignees to be sold. The lease was valued at £300, the 
rental under this, the original lease, being £50 a year. Your 
solicitor thought it could be had for £250 ; but while en- 
deavouring to obtain this reduction, the property w T as sold to 
another party for the price demanded. The next house 
looked at, in October, 1853, was No. 42, Bloomsbury Square, 
w ith accommodation superior to that in Hart Street. For this 
£90 a year was demanded, with a premium of £300 for the 
lease and fixtures. Your Committee had decided on acceding 
to the terms, w 7 hen it was discovered that a clause in the 
lease prohibited its being let to any public body ; and although 
application was made by your President to the Duke of 
Bedford to rescind the prohibition, it w 7 as declined. The 
third house w hich was brought to the notice of your Com- 
mittee, in December, 1853, affording very much better 
accommodation than either of those previously seen, was 10, 
Red Lion Square, the one in wdiich you are now assembled. 
For this a lease of seven, fourteen, or tw 7 enty-one years has 
been obtained, at a rental of £60 a year, the Council under- 
taking to place it in thorough repair. Some arrears of rent 
and taxes, amounting to about £40, had to be paid in lieu of 
fixtures. The repairs have been completed at an expense of 
£254 19 s. 9 \d. The furnishing has also been effected, with 
the exception of such additions as may hereafter be required 
for the library and museum, within the sum allowed by the 
Council, £175 ; and your Committee have the gratification of 
believing that the suite of rooms devoted to the use of the 
College, consisting of council-room, board-room, library, 
museum, and students’ waiting room, is equal, if not superior, 
to any that could have been obtained, on anything like equi- 
valent terms, in the metropolis. A messenger is in constant 
attendance. The rent and w 7 ages amount to £100 a year, 
less £40 paid by your secretary for the convenience of the 
residence, thus reducing the annual expenditure for those two 
items to £60. The expense hitherto incurred of £16 a year 
for the hire of rooms will also cease to be required.” 
