8 
REPORT OF THE 
in the upper part of the building, for displaying to more advantage 
the numerous Roman Antiquities connected with the ancient history 
of the City of York, 
These alterations, however, could not be undertaken without 
incurring considerable expense, but the Council did not hesitate to 
enter upon them. The most rigid economy having been exercised 
for the last few years, a great reduction has taken place in the 
amount of the Society’s debt, and there is now a considerable 
surplus in the ordinary annual receipts over the expenditure, which 
may be applied to the purpose of these improvements. 
It will likewise be advisable for the Council to purchase a certain 
number of Specimens, in order to complete some of the most in¬ 
teresting groups, and supply several vacancies, which it is not 
probable the Society can otherwise fill up. 
It could not be expected that, with the limited funds at its 
disposal, the Society could undertake to defray the heavy expenses 
which will be incurred in receiving the British Association. The 
Council, therefore, prepared a circular letter, which they addressed 
to the principal gentlemen in the county, soliciting contributions 
for that purpose; and they are happy to state that the amount 
already received renders it certain that no loss will be sustained by 
the Society. The appeal which the Council has made to the 
County of York, has indeed been every where most favourably 
received, and they cannot allow this opportunity to pass without 
returning their thanks to their numerous friends, who have so 
generously come forward to their support, at a time when so many 
calls of a more pressing nature are being made upon them. 
An Act was passed during the last Session of Parliament, to 
exempt Scientific Societies from the payment of all local rates. 
This Act came into operation in October last, and the Council lost 
no time in taking the necessary steps to enable the Society to avail 
itself of this exemption. The Society will therefore in future be 
relieved from the payment of a tax which has pressed very heavily 
upon it, amounting to a sum little short of £30. per annum, or 
nearly 5 per cent, upon its ordinary annual income. 
In presenting a statement of the accounts of the Society for the 
past year, the Council have little to remark. The receipts are 
almost entirely confined to the usual sources of income, and the 
