20 
REPORT. 
Grantham having signified to the Crown his willingness to 
resign a portion of the Manor Shore in favour of the Society, 
and the Office of Woods and Forests having made their report, 
an official notification was received from the Treasury, inti¬ 
mating that their Lordships w r ere ready to treat with the 
Society for a lease of the ground; but stating that their power 
of making grants of Crown land for the benefit of scientific 
institutions, was found to be confined to property situate 
within the bills of mortality. 1 On this point, therefore, the 
Council have to correct an error in their last Report, in 
which it was stated that the law had left a power with the 
Executive, to grant whatever favor it may think fit, to 
charitable and scientific institutions. But they have great 
satisfaction in repeating the other part of their statement, 
that, up to the present moment, the public functionaries 
have manifested every disposition to favor the views of the 
Society. 
Under these circumstances, the Council were of opinion 
that it would still be desirable to embrace the offer of the 
Treasury, and to obtain a long lease of the ground. But an 
interview, which the President of the Society soon afterwards 
had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, induced a hope 
that the beneficial arrangement originally contemplated 
might become practicable, if the Society would consent to 
wait. Events, over which the Council had no control, have 
protracted the official determination on this subject; and, 
until it should be decided, nothing further could prudently be 
* 
1 Act 56 Geo. III. C. 128. § 83. 
