8 
The Council unanimously requested the Hon. W. C. Haines, to 
accept the Presidency, and they are glad to say that that gentleman 
has consented. 
The Council record with much pleasure, that the gold medal of 
la Society Imperiale d’Acclimstation de France, for this year was 
conferred upon Mr. Wilson, as a recognition of his indefatigable 
labours in the cause of acclimatisation. 
In passing the vote for the Society this year, the Legislative 
Assembly attached the condition that £650 should be raised by 
private contributions. In order to make an appeal to the general 
public, a circular was prepared,* setting forth in a concise manner, 
what the Society had accomplished during the short period of its 
existence,and what were its claims to public support. The response 
to this was of the most generous and gratifying kind. Subscrip¬ 
tions flowed in from all parts of the Colony, whilst the circular 
was printed in extenso in the transactions of the French Society, as 
also in The Times and Field, both which papers contained most 
flattering articles upon the detailed results of the Society’s 
operations. 
In reviewing the more prominent labours of the Council during 
the past year, a foremost place must be .assigned to the introduction 
of the salmon, constituting as it does a fresh epoch in Australian 
acclimatisation, and conducing to results of which it is impossible to 
overestimate the importance. From the few ova that were retained 
in Victoria, it cannot be asserted with certainty, that salmon is yet 
established in the Colony, although sufficient has been done to show 
that there are no insuperable difficulties in the way ; whilst in 
Tasmania complete success has been attained. To Mr. J. A. Youl 
must be ascribed the lion’s share of praise for the result, whilst these 
Colonies owe a debt of gratitude to Messrs. Money Wigram and 
Sons, for the princely generosity which placed the Norfolk at 
Mr. Youl’s disposal, for the conveyance of the ova. The Council beg 
to record here the votes of thanks which they passed to those gentle¬ 
men, and to Captain Tonkin, upon the arrival of the Norfolk; and 
also to Commander Norman upon the successful trans-shipment of 
the ova to Tasmania. 
“ The Acclimatisation Society of Victoria takes this the earliest 
opportunity of recording its sense of the deep obligations which not 
only the Society, but the whole of the Australian Colonies are under 
to James A. Youl, Esq., for his constant and undaunted determina- 
* See Appendix. 
