410 , PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION. 
: - ‘ $ 
under an Ordinance of the local Government, which grant- 
ed to it £300 a year. Previous to that time, it appears, 
that some persons joined themselves together under the 
name of the Trinidad Library Association. They pur- 
chased a number of books, many of which were subse- 
quently bought for the existing Library. 
The constitution conferred upon the Public Library by 
the Ordinance 2 of 1851 is, with a few modifications sub- 
sequently introduced, the same it now has. 
By the Ordinance 3 of 1852 the subscription was made 
£1 instead of £2 a year. This Ordinance expired without 
confirmation, but was renewed by 2 of 1855 for five years. 
By Ordinance 9 of 1861 the enactment was made perpetual. 
The following are the names of the Librarians : 
Francis Joseph Danglade, 1851-1860 (resigned.) 
Sebastien Cipriani, 1861-1868 (died.) 
Leon BeGannes, 1868, the present Librarian. 
In fracing an outline of the history of the Library, it is 
impossible to avoid the recognition of the heavy debt the 
Island owes to the Honorable William George Knox. It 
is mainly to his Honor’s exertions that we owe the estab- 
lishment of this institution, and the interest and minute 
care he has always taken in its promotion and well-being 
cannot be sufficiently acknowledged. Not only has he 
freely given his personal exertions and the weight of his 
influence in its behalf, but he has at various £imes been a 
liberal donor of books to the institution. Very soon after 
the founding of the Library, His Honor made a donation 
to it of 59 volumes. In the records we find entries of sub- 
sequent donations, namely, of 66 numbers of unbound 
periodicals, and 147 bound volumes. On another occasion 
His Honor contributed 10 volumes. Amongst his contri- 
butions were a set of that useful work, the Annual He- 
