56 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Corporation confer upon us. Long may this happy association
continue!
I have much pleasure in proposing that our best thanks
be given to the Mayor of West Ham for granting us the use of
this Hall, and for his presence with us to-day.
Lieut.-Col. Sir David Prain, C.M.G., C.I.E., F.R.S., in se-
conding the vote of thanks remarked:—I have much pleasure
—and I feel it to be a great honour in being permitted to do
so—in supporting the motion which has been proposed by Sir
Arthur Smith Woodward. I will take you into my confidence
for a moment and say that when our President suggested to me
that I should second this motion, he also suggested that I should
use the. opportunity for putting in a word or two on the particular
subject that most interests me. I do not think, however, that
it is necessary for me to trouble His Worship with any details
or records of our work.
I am very grateful to Lady Warwick for suggesting a con-
sideration which I should like, on your behalf, to put before
the Mayor. We all of us know that nowadays economic im-
pulses so often affect academic action, and when people are
taught what is called Botany—which is a subject I am specially
fond of—they have to confine their attention to the structure
and functions of plants. But the great advantage of a Society
like ours is that while we still regard the flowers and plants as
organisms, we can look upon them as a Natural History study,
and so widen our observation and interest that we are able to
pay some regard to the amenities of the surroundings in which
they grow. This is a distinct advantage.
May I add that when His Worship the Mayor is overcome
by the overwhelming urbanity of existing conditions, we hope
he will come and refresh himself at the Essex Field Club.
In replying to the vote of thanks, which was passed with
acclamation, the Mayor took occasion to express sincere thanks
to his brother Mayors throughout the County of Essex who
had taken the trouble to come to West Ham that day. The
West Ham Council, he said, greatly appreciated this friendly
visit.
The singing of the National Anthem brought the formal
proceedings to a close.
The chief guests then took tea in the private room of the