The Express.
London, England, 1864-05-24 00:00:00

ROYAL OZOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

The anniversary meeting of this society took
place yesterday at Burlington Home, Picoadilly ; Bir RO-
DIULICI Mummer, the president, in the chair.
The report of the council, which wan read by one of the
secretaries, stated that rocs the last anniversary meeting
that. had been elected Z 3.3 new member ; and within the
lame period there have occurred 61 vacenciee, of which 32
are by death and 29 by resignation, ended these 9 are life
compotueders. The council had also had the satiefertios of
reoectly enrolling amongst the fellows of the society a num-
ber of distinguished foreigners. The society according to
the list of fellows oterseted up to April, 1864, omelets at
present of 1,907 members, of whom 498 are life °am-
pounders, and 1,409 are nominally life subscriber, besides
4 honorary end 65 honorary corresponding members.
The number of members who, according to the het corrected
op to the let of limitary, 1863, compounded for their aa-
oral subscription was 461, and 1,4(19 emanate' subscribers
—total, 1,750 members; so that, after deducting the ca-
sualties, there are 37 additional lifircompositioas and 120
annual paying members, making a total becomes of 157
mambas, annual and life antecribere The council hod
arab the satisfaction of making a favourable report of the
socket 's funds, although the expenses of the year had been
co sidle, from the shame of the donation to Dr. Shaw
appearing in this year's account., as sanctioned at the bat
anniversary meeting. The balancealteet for the year
ending 31st December, 1863, showed that the re-
ostpte sod expenditure laid before last year's meeting had
differed from the actual., but in a way favourable to the
society, the receipts estimated having been stated at
4,5021. 10a., exclusive of the cash in hood ; whereas the no-
tools amounted to 5,1561. 9s. 3d., exclusive of the cash
Wanes. The estimated expenditure also was put down at
5,7471.5 a. 2d., or at 3,897/. se. 7c1., excluding the money
proposed to be invested ; but the outlay, exclusive of the
ash and amount Weeded, was only 3,6551. 4s. Id.
The difference bestrew the eoWal receiand
actual outlay bad left a surplus balance in band
of 1,60 U. ss. 3d. ; and be • diminution of the rah-balance
kept in head, from 1,2441. 15s. 21d., at which it stood on
31.4 December, 1882, to Low. 10s. 44d. oa 31st December,
11)363, the council had available foe invedeneet in the foods
• stun of 1,8371., for which theca had been massed 2,0001.
amount of stock in the Three per Cents. The report west
on bay, amoegut many other things, that the patroo's or
Victoria gold medal would be presented to Captain Grant,
for his journey from Zanzibar across Eerier° Equatorial
Africa to Egypt, in company with Captain Spoke, and for
his ocintribataeas to the work of that explorer. The
founder's gold medal would be given to Baron C. von der
Decks., for his two a of the lofty mountains of Kili-
manjaro, which he ddesmloed to be capped with snow, and
to have an altitude of not lam than 20,000f1. A testimonial
would be also awarded to the Bev. Gifford Palmy* for his
•dvienturous journey across Arabia.
The PILISIDINT *an presented the patron's gold medal
to Baron roe der Deck= and to Captain Grant.
The PILINIMINT then proceeded to deliver his annual ad-
dress, ia which he gay* a biographical sketch of the more
distinguished fellows of the society who died within the
past year, end dwelt at some length on the valuable cereals
of she lOW Lard Aelebortoo, the Earl of Elgin, Admiral
Wrhiaston, Mr. Richard Thereto., U. The address was
followed by papas from she chairman upon various geolo-
gical and geographical subjects, ad• vote of thaaks was
proposed to the &airtime, who was afterwards ensconced
to have been re-elected president for the ensuing year.
The CIWZILAN acknowledged the great boomer which
hod been conferred upon him ; but expressed his reprt
that at the next anniversary he should he compelled to
retire.—The boatmen than terminated.

The annual dinner of the society took place at Walk's
Rooms, lit. James's, la the evening. Air R. Murchison again
=al. One of the speakers was the Chancellor of the
oar, who, I. adverting to a remark from the chair-
man the effect produced oe the fortunes of the
society y salukis( a local habitation, observed :—" To
judge from the speech of the president, the condition of
the members of the Geographical Society before that
happy era arrived must have been not, perhaps, pm-
asely the same, but not very differeot from that of parish
vagrants. (A laugh.) The society would appear to have
been in Use condition of being owned by nobody, some-
what in the manner is which ancient fable tells us
the island of Delos was—sad I refer to this as a
phioal illustration. ( Hear, hear,' and a laugh.)
it I. said, was is the habit of oavigatiog about the Archi-
pelago, Onlnil24 into constant media with one island or
another ; and it sever acquired any distinct site of its own
' until Latona took it one day into her head to be brought
to bed there under a palm-tree, and I have no doubt in
• delightful atmosphere. (Laughter and cheers.) From
that moment Delos struck root at the bottom of the ma,
arid, just as the Geographical Society did the moment it
got • local kabitattes, became famous and flourishing, with
• some celebrated throughout the world.' (Cheers.) The
oapprehension which be thought the most sensitive
could
entertain was use oosueoted with the approseb-
leg exhaustico of that mate to which, for the present at
least, their labours were cceilsed—" I mom the limited
surface of this glob itself. (' Hear,' and 'laugh.) Abrades
it hie day thought he might reach • point in his career when
he would desire to have new worlds to cougar. You, too,
seem likely at soma time or other to reach that Foist, and
I lave no doubt that when you do reach it, whether it be
sooner or later, our excellent and distinguished bleed Si,
R. Murchison, whatever he may say to the contrary, will
be here in the chair, presiding over you (cheers mid
laughter)—and endeavouring to consider with you what
new field, of enterprise you can explore in some, at any
rate, of the nearest planate with which you can occupy
yourselves until •061106, so rich la bar enplanes', enables
you to reach those that me mare distant." (Renewed
cheers and laughter.)

PUBLIC SCHOOL/ CLUB, 17, Sr. J•lllWee-PLACZ,
Sr. Jaws, H.W.—The Int annual pistol meeting of the
above club took place yesterday ; Dalrymple Spence. Fol.,
in the chair, in the abases of Sir Claude de employ,
Bert., the chairman of the committee. The secretary read
the report of the morel ewers of the club, showing that
since the opening of the club is September last searly 250
members had Joined, rmessentieg the following colleges
sod Debacle: Charter-home. Eton, Harrow, Rugby, West-
minster, and Wischealor. This club, sew in its origin,
EZhisia time to he a great succese, and may beams the
earters of the minket, football, sad rifle matches, as
well as the literary contents between our public schools.
THZ NSW VICTORILit GOVZILZMINT HOI7BZ.
The sew government been about to be ereeted for the
random* of the Goverser of Victoria will cost 50,000 f.
one half the amers• ham bees already voted, the ether half
will appear in Deli year's adage& —.Australian paper.