Page:The journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London. Volume 34, 1864. (IA s572id13663720).pdf/20

xvi and the great facilities thus afforded for diffusing information, the enlargement of the Society’s stock is of national importance; and they appeal to the liberality of the Public and the Members for donations. The replies from the Secretaries of State for India and War, and the Admiralty, and from the Ministers and Ambassadors, as entered in Appendix D. will doubtless be read with great satisfaction; the Council are sanguine that the Officers and Government of India, and Colonel Sir H. James, will most readily respond to the authority given by the Secretary of State, and supply the Society with many valuable additions to the Map-Room. The contributions from the Foreign Governments will also furnish many books and maps at present greatly needed to fill up important blanks in our Collections.

The Council are also fully alive to the necessity of making available for this purpose some portion of the Government Donation of 500l. per annum; the object of the Grant being as stated in Vol. 24, page vi., viz.—“That Her Majesty’s Ministers have felt themselves justified in tendering a yearly Grant of 500l., in order that an apartment be provided in which the Society’s valuable collection of Maps and Charts may be made available for general reference.” And as this grant was made in 1854—ten years ago—and but a trifling sum has been as yet laid out in maps, &c., the Council are of opinion that by means of a considerable portion of the funds available, the Map-Room collection may be increased, and put into a more complete state than it at present is.

Instruments. — The importance of carrying out the original object of the Society, of procuring specimens of such instruments as experience has shown to be most useful and best adapted to the compendious stock of a traveller, will be kept in view.

In order to encourage the production of suitable instruments, such as experience has shown to be most useful and best adapted to the compendious stock of a traveller, the Council, in the Report of 1860, intimated (vide A. C.) that a prize of 50l., or a Gold Medal, would be awarded to the designer or maker of the most serviceable reflecting instrument for the measurement of angles; but though the premium was announced in the two subsequent Annual Reports, yet, up to this date, no instrument of adequate merit has been offered to the Society. The Council propose to consider the Prize still open for competition, and measures will be taken to make the notice more generally known.