208 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, July 12, 1850. 
a good investment and a reasonable return for the money; 
secondly, because they would see it was not only a pro¬ 
fitable undertaking, but that they would be able to get their 
money back when the proper time arrived; and thirdly— 
perhaps the best of all—there were, no doubt, many people 
who would subscribe without any commercial feeling whatever, 
but partly on account of the pleasure they would take in the 
privileges of the Society, and partly from a feeling of public 
spirit in being connected with such an undertaking. With j 
respect to the question of a thirty-one-years’ lease, the Com¬ 
missioners had not proposed what to do after that time. It ! 
is no doubt a question that would require very serious con¬ 
sideration. They had been invited to'confer with the Council 
upon the matter, and whatever arrangements may he made 
the Council would take care that the interests of the Society 
were properly attended to; indeed, the Commissioners had 
expressed every desire to do so in the broadest and most 
liberal manner. He had now, he believed, stated the whole 
case to the Meeting, and it would be competent for any gentle¬ 
man present to offer such comments upon it as he desired. 
Mr. Wilton Saunders said that it appeared to he a great 
undertaking .to raise £50,000; it appeared at first to be an ! 
enormous sum, but he had confidence in the calculations which 
had been made. He said he had gone into the matter with 
much care, and felt that the Society would be justified in going 
on with the work, and that there would be a very large income, j 
Of course they could not fix what that would be. He was 
quite ready to go into it, because he thought it was a not-unde- i 
sirahle investment, and the scheme was a good one. It might 
be said, “ This is a glorious scheme; but how is it to benefit 
the horticulture of the country?’’ The income derived would 
enable the Society to import many expensive plants wliich they 
have not means to do now. 
Mr. C. W. Dilee said that as to the. receipts it was utterly 
hopeless to do more than make a guess at them. But he had 
made it his business to communicate with the authorities con¬ 
nected with various institutions where payment was or was not 
made for admission, and he was satisfied the Council had 
approximated as closely as possible to the truth. The hon. 
gentleman then went through a variety of satistical matter 
bearing on this point. He had made inquiries as to the number 
of people that visited the British Museum, Hampton Court, 
and other pdaces; which, although free, cost more than 3d., and 
children Id., the price of admission the Society intended. He 
felt that the subject was well worth adoption by the Society. 
Mr. Charlwood proposed that a circular should be sent 
round to every Member with full details of the plan. He 
objected to the scheme in toto, because it was not one which 
went to further the objects for which the Society was originally 
founded. He protested against the movement in any shape 
whatever. He deprecated the outlay of .£50,000 debentures by 
a Society that was already bankrupt. He should oppose it in 
every possible way. 
The Duke of Leinster proposed the following resolution — 
“ That the Council he authorised to conclude the negotiation 
with the Eoyal Commissioners for a lease of the ground at I 
Kensington Gore, upon the best terms that can be made.” 
Sir John Ramsden seconded it. The matter was to be j 
looked at in two aspects—as regards a decoration for the metro- j 
polis, and as regarded the interest of the Horticultural Society. | 
He regretted to see the Society in such a depressed condition, j 
He was very sanguine as to the results which might be expected | 
by the new scheme for the benefit of thelSociety. The Council 
had mainly endeavoured to improve the Society’s affairs for 
some years past, but unfortunately without success. He 
thought the Royal Commissioners had acted in a broad and 
liberal spirit. The resolution of the noble duke did not pledge 
the Council in any way, and he could say that that body 
had taken a straightforward, manly course in taking no decided 
steps without consulting their constituents at large. They 
had given a fresh proof of the claim which the Council had 
upon the confidence of the Society. 
Henry Pownall, Esq., said that after the resolution had I 
been moved by such distinguished Members of the Society it 
would not be considered discourteous of them to speak freely 
upon this point. He differed from the last speaker in think¬ 
ing that the resolution did not pledge the Society. Ho re¬ 
commended that the subject should not be disposed of so 
suddenly, but issued as a report from the Council, and taken 
into consideration two or three weeks hence. He asked 
if their charter authorised such an undertaking, and what 
responsibilities they, the Members of the Society, would be 
under if the scheme were carried out as proposed ? and whether 
the two-guinea admission fees were intended to apply to old 
Members as well as the general public ? He thought thirty- 
one years were a short time to expend £'50,000 upon. He 
should be glad to know upon what terms they could renew 
their lease. 
Dr. Bindley said he did not think the charter interfered 
with it at all, because the object of the scheme was the in¬ 
crease of income to the Society, without which the Society 
could not get on. He showed that with respect to responsibility 
there was none individually—nothing beyond the corporate 
property of the company by their corporate seal. As to the 
admission fees to the proposed Fellowships it would only apply 
to new Fellows. With respect to the question of the lease of 
thirty-one years, it was a very serious one, and when the 
Meeting authorised the Council to take the necessary steps, that 
question would be the first to engage their attention. 
Mr. North thought the question should be more fully 
considered by the proposal being printed, and sent round to 
every Member of the Society for consideration by a future Meeting. 
Sir Petek Pole and several other Members thought that the 
matter should not be decided too hastily, as it was an important 
financial affair, and he was against disposing of it so rapidly. 
He complained of the shortness of the time which had been 
allowed for its consideration. 
Mr. C. W. Dilke said one of the reasons why the Meeting 
had been called at so short a notice was that the Commissioners 
required an answer in six weeks, and the Council felt that the 
season was so far advanced that it would be better to call the 
Meeting as early as possible. The letter from the Commis¬ 
sioners was received on Monday last only. 
The Duke of Leinster thought it would be best to submit 
the matter to another Meeting, and his friend Mr. Pownall had 
a motion on the subject. 
Mr. Pownall then proposed the following amendment:— 
“ That the thanks of this Meeting be given to the Council for 
the information afforded, and that they he requested to continue 
the negotiations, reporting progress to another Meeting.” 
Upon being seconded, Mr. Heywood said that in the event 
of the gardens being made, he would advocate that they should 
be opened on Sundays. 
Mr. Dilke said that the Fellows could please themselves as 
to whether they went into their own gardens on Sundays, and as 
one of the Royal Commissioners he should decline to discuss 
such a simple question. 
Mr. Cole, moved that Mr. Pownall add to his resolution :—• 
11 That the Council he instructed to ascertain whether the funds 
can be raised.” 
Mr. Pownall thought they should not ask the public about 
that until they had agreed among themselves as to whether they 
intended to make the gardens or not. 
Mr. Dilke read a list of the noblemen and gentlemen in the 
neighbourhood, to the number of 128, who were desirous of 
being elected Fellows in the event of the gardens being con¬ 
structed, some of whom would take £500 and £1000 each in 
debentures. , 
Mr. Holmes Godson said that part of the present gardens at 
Chiswick would be retained for experimental purposes. The 
question of terms was one of great importance to the Society, 
and also to those who would subscribe to the debentures as to 
when they would get their money back. He looked upon the 
amendment as fatal to the Council. He thought they should 
not he fettered, but left to meet the Royal Commissioners in 
somewhat of a decisive character. He trusted the Council 
would be instructed to save time and go to the Royal Com¬ 
missioners at once. 
Mr. Pownall begged to press his amendment. He looked 
upon the question of responsibility of the corporation as one 
that was of great import. Every member felt a moral indi¬ 
vidual responsibility beyond the legal one ; and unless they did 
so, he thought they should not ask the public to subscribe 
£50,000. He wanted to be satisfied that there was afair chance 
of people getting their money back, and then he could ask the 
public to subscribe. He felt that a delay of a week or ten days 
would make very little difference in the Royal Commissioners’ 
time in treating of such an important matter. 
Mr. Wrench supported the movement as an attraction to 
enable the. Society to recover what they jrad lost. 
The Duke of Leinster expressed his willingness to withdraw 
his motion in favour of Mr. Pownall. 
