MANCHESTER MEETING OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 201
our Hon. Member, General Pitt Rivers, the Inspector of Ancient
Monuments, pointing out the manner in which local Societies can
afford him assistance in carrying out the Ancient Monuments Act.
After giving an account of the history and mode of working of the
Act, the General goes on to say :—
"Local Societies should (1st) report to me what monuments in
their district they think worthy of being put under the Act; (2ndly)
they should send me the names and addresses of the owners ; (3rdly)
they should communicate with the owners, and if possible obtain
their consent to have the monuments placed under the Act, subject
of course to their subsequent acceptance by the Office of Works ;
and (4thly) they should report to me any damage that they find
being done or contemplated, either to the monuments under the Act,
or to others not so protected. With such assistance I think that
much more rapid progress may be made."
From this abstract of the proceedings at Manchester, it will be seen
that the Conference has been most fruitful of suggestions, and has
led to the instigation of various lines of work likely to be of the
greatest service to the local Societies, to the British Association, and
to the cause of science at large. I cannot conclude without express-
ing my personal satisfaction that the official sanction which is now
accorded to the work of our Corresponding Societies' Committee by
the Council of the Association is amply justified, and I am happy to
announce that additional power has now been placed in our hands at
the instigation of Captain Sir Douglas Galton, the Hon. General
Secretary of the Association. Under the existing rules our Com-
mittee had no power to communicate directly with the Committee of
Recommendations or with the General Committee. I therefore
advocated our cause before the Committees of Sections B and C, and
succeeded in getting the following resolution passed :—" That the
Conference of Delegates of Corresponding Societies be empowered
to send recommendations to the Committee of Recommendations
for their consideration, and for report to the General Committee."
This resolution was adopted by the Committee of Recommendations,
and finally, on the motion of Sir Douglas Galton, by the General
Committee, so that it has now become a law of the Association. It
is of course understood that our recommendations should not clash
with those sent up by the Sectional Committees, with which we are
now placed on terms of equality. In carrying on the various lines of
investigation referred to in this report, I feel confident that our own
Essex Field Club will show its usual activity.