The Portland daily press., 1864-12-30
Portland Society Of Natural History.

The annual meeting of this Society was held
at IT'D Hall on Wednesday afternoon last; the
President. DIR. VIM. Wood in the chair.
The President read his annual report Of the
condition and progress of the Society, extracts
from which are presented below. ao4
After referring to the public meetings of the /
Society, he spoke of its Indebtedness as fol-
lows: ~ Ar rszs -rr-arrv ~ "a
1t is this which weighs with leaden infu-
ence upon the energies of its members. cutting
them off on every hand from all opportunities
for making progress, that essential character
istic of such an organization, and upon which
its vitality is absolutely dependent. Deprived
by it of all proper facilities for increasing their
stock of knowledge by the requisite additions
4 to their library, even such as might reasonas
bly, be expected from the Continuance of its
publications, and debarred from mourning
even a dollars expense in providing the mate
rails and furniture for the preservation and exr
hibition of the numerous objects collected by
their own hands from land and sea, they feel
that some means ofrelief from this unsatisfac-
tory condition must be speedily obtained.
This can only be done by a determined and
united effort on the part OF all the members to
enlist the public sentiment in behalf of the
Society, in order to raise not only the sum
necessary to remove all the Indebtedness, but
to establish working fund, the interest of
which may be- used with the regular annual
assessments to advance the cause which we
all have so much at heart, which is that of
popular education in the great and interesting
facts OF Natural History, and the advance
ment of the Science itself. a Ass'ss7"
At meeting of the Society, held Dec. 9Th
inst, it was decided to adopt the plan OF
placing the exact condition OF our affairs be-
fore the public and to make In fact q final ef-
fort to throw off the the burden which the
lapse Of every year is only making more and
more difficult to be sustained. The articles
that have appeared in the newspapers were
issued in pursuance oil this decision. eThe
question DOW is whether the Society has such
hold upon the public favor, as will warrant q
conlinnanceof its present organization and its
present labors. We confidently believe that 1t
has and that our efforts win be sustained by
our fellow-citizens by more substantial tokens
of their good will, than by mere words of en-
enlargement.
In response to our public appeals and with
out any personal solicitation the following
note and its appropriate accompaniment has
been already received. iaa,No 81 han OIL ,ssso0a
PORTLAND, Dec L. 1864. le
To the PresidentGnd Director oIthe Portland So
ciety Of Natural Hsters;5 q u u M
1GENrLEMKN surprised and panied to learn from
the recent ausicns in the pubic prints the deporsde
CONDITION Of the pecuniary affairs Of your Assochton
The citiz ms of Portland he ping hand
70 raise you from the deep rt in which you have fen
trust they will' as they must now knowthe need of
city has ever been dear enclose that object INV
check for Eve dollars andthus hope clear my
your Society collapse q know not the amount required
60 relieve your immediate necessities but sincerely
hope YOU wi and perssyere until you place
the Port ana society History upon sound and
| Respectfully your obedient servant,
This is one instance of that enlightened
sliberality which we have every reason to be-
fieve, turks in the hearts OF very many,of the
citizens of Portland 1t Is one thing to give
endowed, but another to take the initiative 10
placing upon a secure basis society, howev-
er noble in its aims, that Ii struggling TO
maintain its existence. Such hberality, how
ever, rarely fails to obtain Its own reward !: de.
rived from the satisfaction of having insured
the success of the object aimed at; while the
memory of all those, BY whose libefality such
an institution becomes endowed, is imperish-
IDLY stamped upon its annals, and every laurel
won by it, does but add another to the chap
let, kept ever green, with which Science loves
to bind the brows Of Its patrons and bene-
factors. sayr ae,..s,3 in .s.,.,.s,.....rs
- Although the Society has not been able to
make additions to its cabinets and furniture
or library, by direct purchase, yet It is q pleas
ant duty that perform in stating that there
have been numerous accessions made in all
departments by donations from individual
members Of our own Society, from strangers
and from kindred Societies, in this country
and the Provinces. .iAssHAao
Among these will mention generous and
unsolicited GIFT Of 500, from Mrs. John Mus
say previous to our public appeals; acomplete
set of handsome and comfortable settees, made
for the purpose, twenty-five in number, from
an unknolon friend, which supplies a great
necessity in furnishing the Lecture Hall for
the accommodation of Its public meetings. e
Donations have also been made to the Libra
~ and collections by Prof. James D. Dana, Of
New Haven, A. w. Longfellow, u. s. Coast
Survey, Boston Society of Natural History,
Prot. Agassiz, Essex Institute Of Salem, Nat.
Dist. Society Of New Brunswick, w. RsStock-
bridge, Prof Dawson, of Montreal; Acad.
Nat. Science, Philadelphia; DR.. 81. T. Cum
mings, Nat. Hist Society Of Nova Scotia;
Prof. A. E. Verrill. Mrs. 7. P. James OF Phila.
delphia; A. s. Packard. Jr. of Brunswick,
Smithsonian Institution, Sir VIM. E. Logan,
of Montreal; A. o. Allen, Of Boston; Miss
Margaret A. Allen Of Gardiner; Rev. E. c.
Bodies, N. P. Richardson, Capt. Edward. A.
Warwick, G. B. Fuller, Isaac Lee, OF Phila-
delphia; Giojello Club, A. P. Baker, Of Var.
mouth, L. Deane, Capt w. W. Deane, 1t Col.
G. B. Merrill; s. T. Dole of Windham; Mrs.
Greedy Cutter, John A. Poor, DR.. Chas. 81.
'Osgood, Henry Oxnard PEBBLE and many
others. CEtI J . NJ
The President then referred in very appro-
pirate terms to the recent death of Prof. Ben
jamin Silliman a devoted friend of the Soci-o
ETY. and one ofits Honorary members, and in
connection Herewith read the following let
ter, written after the loss Of the Society's col
lections by the fire. es si.'94i 3 ii'p' go
~ NEW HAVEN July lS 1854 g
GrEfEsAfEN: Tho touching stery OF your misertunes
and due appreciation Of the spirit you manifest in tho
day OF your calamity must excite strong interest 10
your behaIfin al the lovers ofbcra knowledge and
cial advancement.
1t would give pleasure to aid In any degree III promo
ting your re-estabshme When / realise, however
that most thrseourths Of century have passed over
my head and that my efforts teacher Of science and
public lecturer have been extended through more than
nifty years feel reasonable dis rust Of the power Of
physical endurance which has hitherto continued
and which ought not to hazard in erhausting efforts
munity ~ '--~'N s'4''
but with the best wishes your success in
ton, ~"s Anu Value ''e Ansu'u-
{ I remain gentlemen very r.spect,.,,v and .,r,v
yours, ts''ss aar -''P'''s"y anu sruy
+ gsai..ss5-. .e,ss B, sILLIMAN.
About 40 volumes of Silliman's Journal Of
Science and Art followed this letter a. : do.
nation. Appropriate resolutions were thsn
offered and passed and copy ordered 10 be
placed on the Records and also forwardsd ~
the family of Prof. Silliman. "
The treasurer then read his Annual Renort
ofwhich the following Is an abstract.
Balance in Treasury Dec. 1858 2se az
Receipts from Assessments and Admissions 3ls 60
Total, I. $500 80