ANNUAL REPORTS. 
157 
On 29tn October last the Board formed Art and Horticultural 
Sections for the purpose of encouraging and stimulating artistic 
talent, and the culture of flowers and ornamental plants. The 
first result of the formation of these Sections was an Exhibition 
in Art and Horticulture which was held in January, 1896, and 
though really a matter for next year's report it may be incident- 
ally remarked here that their efforts were crowned with success. 
It is the intention of the Board to hold other and similar 
Exhibitions from time to time. 
The financial condition of the Institute is a matter for con- 
gratulation. 
The Government grant to the Institute was increased at the 
beginning of the year to £250 and therefore like other similar 
institutions in this Colony the main source of Revenue is this 
subsidy. The next is the revenue derived from rents and last of 
all is the amount derived from subscription. 
The causes to which may be attributed the falling off under 
this last bead of revenue are (1) the motion of Mr. Bourne admit- 
ting the Field Naturalists’ Club (2) the late time of the year 
(November) when thesubscriptions for 1895-6 began to be collected. 
The total Revenue of the Institute for 1895 amounts to 
$1,482.50 net, and to this must be added a balance of $216.36 
carried forward from 1894. 
The total expenditure of the same period is $809.35 inclusive 
of the repayment to Government of the first instalment of the 
debt of £500 on the Building. It may not be out of place to remark 
here that a second instalment has also been paid on 1st January 
of the current year, leaving a balance of £400 due to Government. 
There was therefore to the credit of the Institute on 31st 
December, 1895, the sum of $889.52 of which $884.03 was lodged 
in the Colonial Bank. 
Appended is a Statement of Account and a Balance Sheet. 
A list of members is also annexed. 
The visitors to the Museum during 1895 amounted to 2,353. 
Many of the foreign visitors expressed agreeable surprise at 
findin" such a fine collection of the fauna of the Island. 
O 
In conclusion it may be said that the Institute is now in a 
fair way to assume its proper position as a public Institution of 
this Colony, and a fitting Memorial of the Jubilee of our Gracious 
Sovereign whose name it bears. 
THOMAS I. POTTER, Eon. Secretary & Treasurer. 
Victoria Museum, I’ort-of-Spain, 18th February, 1898. 
