COUNCIL FOR 1854. 
17 
The Treasurer’s report shews that the annual expenditure 
has exceeded the receipts by the sum of £12 15s.; the latter 
being less than usual in the items of admission of new mem¬ 
bers/’ and admission of strangers/’ and there having been 
no extraordinary sources of income during the past year. 
The least favorable feature in the financial condition of the 
Society during the past year, is the diminution of new members. 
The Council are aware that at the present time a diminution 
was to be looked for. Local Scientific Institutions must expect, 
in times of great political excitement, and under circumstances 
which involve retrenchment in the expenditure of the middle 
and upper classes, to experience a temporary reduction of that 
share of support which under ordinary circumstances they 
receive from the public. If, however, this reduction proceeds 
to any great extent, it must seriously impair the efficiency of 
such institutions, and involve them in difficulties. In the case 
of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, the Council feel bound 
to state that the number of members annually elected is not at 
present such as to enable it to preserve, in a satisfactory con¬ 
dition, the treasures of which it has already become possessed, 
and to add to its stores those new objects of local and general 
interest which from time to time present themselves. If we go 
back ten years in the history of the Society, w T e find from the 
annual reports, that from 1844 to 1851 inclusive, the annual 
average of admissions is 19. During the years 1852— 3 —4 , 
the average is reduced to nine ; and the number admitted 
during the past year has been only seven. It is perhaps not to 
be expected that so high an annual average as 19 admissions 
can be permanently maintained, but it is certain that so low an 
average as 9 is not sufficient to balance the Society’s losses by 
resignation and death. To this point then the Council desire 
to call the serious attention of the Society at large. They feel 
convinced that there are many persons resident in the City of 
York, and many more in the County, who are not members of 
the Society, because its claims have not been urged upon them, 
and because they are not aware that their support is required. 
It is important that such persons should be reminded that the 
Yorkshire Philosophical Society holds a position with -which 
B 
