16 
REPORT. 
commencement of the present year, with a second donation. 
But the Council have not thought it right, after the advance 
which has lately been agreed to in the annual subscription, to 
call upon the members specifically for a further contribution. 
The necessity which existed for increasing the Annual 
Income, is sufficiently shown by the report of the Treasurer 
for the past year ; for although the Meeting will perceive 
that the balance against the Society is again reduced, so as 
to amount at present only to an inconsiderable sum, this 
reduction has been effected as before, out of the fluctuating 
fund which arises from the entrance of new members, with¬ 
out which the Society’s debt, instead of being lessened, 
would have been augmented to £75. It appears that the 
increased rate of subscription has not diminished the number 
of admissions, which have been more in the last than in the 
preceding year ; and there is every reason to expect that 
the position which the Society now occupies, and the advan¬ 
tages which it offers, will continue to multiply its numbers. 
The Council cannot quit this subject, without noticing the 
liberal manner in which one 1 of the Patrons of the Society 
has expressed his opinion upon it, by paying the arrears of 
his subscription for three years, according to the present 
rate ; nor can they refrain from congratulating the Meeting 
upon the adoption of a measure which will have fully 
ensured the efficiency of the Institution, if the contributions 
solicited for the Building Fund should prove sufficient to 
leave the annual income unimpaired. 
1 The Earl of Tyrconnel. 
