54 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
higher rate than the average of past years. They refrain from singling 
out any names for special regret, where doubtless all are truly mourned by 
many attached comrades and friends. 
It is with much satisfaction that the Committee record the addition to 
the list of Members of many of the Officers of the late India Artillery, 
chiefly those serving in this country, but some also among those serving in 
India. It may be well to remind the General Meeting that, shortly after 
the amalgamation between the two services was completed, measures were 
adopted for sending to every Officer of the late Bengal, Madras, and Bombay 
Artilleries a general invitation to become a Member of the Institution. 
Before issuing these invitations, certain preliminary arrangements were 
necessary; these have been the subject of correspondence, through the 
D.-A.-General, between the Committee and H. B. Highness the General 
Commanding-in-Chief, and Her Majesty's India Government. When the 
correspondence is closed (it is hoped satisfactorily) no time will be lost in 
forwarding to every Artillery Officer on the late India Establishment, a short 
history of the origin, object, and present features of the Institution, together 
with a copy of the Buies, terms of subscription, &c.; and the Committee are 
sanguine enough to hope that out of that distinguished body of Officers now 
united with us in one Begiment, a large proportion will be numbered among 
the future supporters of the Institution. 
Every year marks a steady increase in the number of Members, a fact 
which, wdiile it brings with it a wider field of usefulness, should operate as a 
stimulus to all concerned to endeavour to make the benefits of the Institution 
commensurate with its increasing opportunities. 
A growing desire is manifested for fuller information on all matters 
relating to the Profession, and recent questions of great moment in which, 
as a Begiment, the members of this Institution are intimately concerned, 
render it imperative upon the Committee to spare no pains to make the 
Professional Papers issuing from the Institution worthy of the Association 
from which they proceed, and valuable to those who receive them. 
In order that this may be done more effectually in the future than hitherto, 
it is hoped that hinderanees to the obtaining information, arising from any 
excess of official secrecy, may be removed; and that the Committee may have 
cause thankfully to acknowledge the spontaneous grant by Her Majesty's 
Government of information on many points, while it is yet fresh, concerning 
which Officers of the Boyal Artillery might be safely enlightened with advant¬ 
age to the Public Service.* 
At the same time while legitimately looking for help and encouragement 
to the Government whom they serve—which help and encouragement this 
Institution has already in many ways liberally received—it is incumbent on 
the better informed Members of the Corps not to be behindhand in impart¬ 
ing (through the medium of the printed “ Proceedings"), much of that 
knowledge for which as a Begiment they are justly famed, for the benefit of 
their brother Officers. 
The Committee therefore leave this subject in the confident expectation 
that their appeal for written contributions from the Corps at large will not 
be disregarded. 
* The above remarks have reference specially to accounts of Experiments, &c. 
