68 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL.
convenient centre at and from which the important educational work that is
contemplated can be best carried out. Express care has been taken in the
amalgamation scheme to guard against the county town having a paramount or
more than fair share in the management. The institution is to be essentially and
really a county one, and it is designed for the assistance of every student, whether
a member of the Club or not, desirous of improving himself in natural knowledge,
and in contributing to the general well-being of Essex. The total amount of
capital required for the Museum scheme is £4,000, and the estimated annual
expenditure is £400. Active work can be commenced in the temporary premises
when one-fourth of the required capita! has been obtained.
The Council appeals strongly to the public spirit of the inhabitants of Essex,
and generally to all those interested in science and in its practical applications, to
give the financial support necessary to launch and to maintain the Museum, and
to help forward the useful and interesting work which will grow up around it.
Technical Instruction.—The result of the Club's application for a grant to
carry on scientific and technical instruction work in the county has already been
set forth in the Essex Naturalist (vol. v., pp. 173-4),and need not be further dealt
with here. The Council understands that Mr. Fitch will explain the state of
affairs in his annual address.
Addition to Epping Forest.—The Council cannot refrain from con-
gratulating the members on the successful issue of the project for obtaining a
portion of Highams Park as a part of Epping Forest. Our secretary, Mr. Cole,
acted as hon. secretary to the Committee, and very many members of the Club
took an active part in the work. The land thus added to the Forest amounted to
30a. 2 r. 39 p, and it was formally dedicated to public uses by H.R.H. the
Ranger on June 6th last. The warmest thanks of all interested in the forest are
due to Mr. E. N. Buxton and Sir T. Fowell Buxton, to whose energy and
munificence this grand addition to the Essex Woodlands is mainly due.
The present meeting sums up the work of the twelve years' life of the Club.
During that period 188 meetings have been held, and a very large number of
spots in our county visited. Several important investigations have been under-
taken by the Club, and on two or three occasions the Society has been enabled to
do good work in protecting Epping Forest from permanent injury. Including
the two special memoir series, twelve volumes have been published, giving a total
of 3,454 pages of matter, ninety per cent. of which, at least, has had a close
relation to Essex. The Council ventures to claim that the Club has, during its
tenure of existence, done much really good work, and that it is entitled to claim
even a greater measure of support than it has yet received from residents in the
county, and from those desirous of encouraging the study of nature, and of local
antiquities.
Mr. Fitch retires from the Presidency to-night after four years' active service.
The members of the Council beg leave to tender to him their most hearty thanks
for his excellent efforts in forwarding the welfare of the Club. Mr. Fitch has
ever been most ready to aid the operations of the Council in every way in his
power, and his services as Conductor at Field Meetings, and his many admirable
contributions to the publications of the Club, have been most valuable and
useful, and entitle him to the gratitude of every member of the Club.
In recommending Dr. Laver to take the office vacated by Mr. Fitch, the
Council feels that it is serving the interests of the Club. Dr, Laver is an original
member of the Society, and has always taken an active interest in its proceedings.