xcviii
Journal of Proceedings.
sections relating to Essex). For the Museum, Essex birds from Mr.
Or. P. Hope. Unanimous votes of thanks to the several donors were
passed.
The following were elected members of the Club :—Messrs. Gr. E.
Beaumont, E. P. Hundley, and J. W. Russell.
The only business on the agenda paper was the consideration of the
Bill about to be introduced into Parliament by the Great Eastern Bail-
way Company for an extension of their Chingford line across Epping
Forest to High Beach.
The discussion was opened by Professor Boulger in a vigorous speech,
and he proposed the following resolution for the acceptance of the
meeting :—
" That this Society, on behalf of the large section of the population of
London, interested in the pursuit of Natural History, desires to record
an emphatic protest against the proposal of the Great Eastern Railway
Company to carry a line across a part of Epping Forest, believing that it
is wholly unnecessary for the railway to take the route projected, and
that it would not fail to prejudicially affect the advantages secured by
the Epping Forest Act, which directs that the Forest is to be preserved
as far as possible in its natural aspect; and the Society hereby authorises
the Council to petition Parliament against the project, and to send
copies of this Resolution to the Press."
Mr. F. H. Varley seconded the motion, and the discussion was con-
tinued by Sir Fowell Buxton, Mr. W. Cole, Mr. F. C. Gould, Mr. Varley,
Professor Boulger, Mr. N. F. Robarts, Mr. W. G. S. Smith, and the
President.
On the motion being put from the chair, it was carried amid hearty
applause, with only one dissentient.*
In accordance with the circular dated January 15th, 1883, sent to all
members, the Third Annual General Meeting was then held, Mr. R.
Meldola in the chair.
In the absence of the Treasurer, Mr. N. F. Robarts read the Balance-
sheet, which was unanimously adopted on the motion of Mr. John
Spiller, seconded by Mr. F. H. Varley.
The Secretary read the Annual Report of the Council for the year
1882, which was also unanimously adopted on the motion of Mr. Henry
Walker, seconded by Mr. T. Fisher Unwin.
No other candidates having been proposed, the new members of
Council nominated at the last meeting on December 16th [see page xcii]
were declared to be unanimously elected ; and on the ballot being taken
the officers then nominated were also declared duly elected by the
Scrutineers, Mr. Spiller and Mr. Walker.
As Honorary Members, Professor Richard Owen, F.E.S., and Dr.
Henry Woodward, F.E.S., were chosen by acclamation.
* Full reports of this discussion were printed in the ' Essex Times ' and ' Chelmsford
Chronicle' for February 2nd, 1883, and most of the arguments from the Club's point of
view are given in the Introduction to Appendix No. 1.—Ed.