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200 ANNUAL LONDON MEETING. the result, in a financial point of view, was by no means discouraging, whilst the splendid hospitalities tendered to the Institute by the President, by the city and Corporation, as also by Sir lidnunid Antrobus and Sir IIue,h lloare, amidst scenes so replete with intei'est to Archaeologists, strikingly evinced the cordiality and friendly interest with which the objects of the Institute were regarded. The proceedings of the various sections were also sustained with unusual eftect, and the excavation of Silbury, although the results were of less striking character than some had eagerly anticipated, was an undertaking well worthy of the occasion, and regarded in the county with the most keen interest. During the year the Institute had received an accession of 102 life or subscribing members, and the same proportionate increase had continued to the present time. During the same period, seven members had withdrawn from tlie Society. The Committee recalled, with deep regret, the loss sus- tained during that time of some of the earliest and most valued friends of the Institute, — the late Bishop of Norwich more especially, to whose exertions and cordial encouragement the Society owed so much of the prosperity and stability of its actual position ; whose cordial welcome on the occasion of their meeting in Norfolk had evinced the warmth of his patronage of all endeavours for the extension of knowledge. In the Dean of Hereford the Institute had lost a most energetic and intelligent inquirer, and they must lament that the assiduity with which he had carried out his investigations of the primeval remains of Wiltshire, last autumn, had possibly hastened the event which had removed one of their warmest and earliest friends. The Institute had lost others, whose generous services to the cause would long be remem- bered ; whose friendly intercourse and cordial co-operation had so often cheered and aided their progress in past years. The names of the late Mr. Stapleton, Mr. Louis Hayes Petit, the Dean of Salisbury, Mr. Bandinel, Mr. Philip Brockedon, and Mr. Noble, must be added to the sad list of those whose memory would long be regarded with the most sincere esteem. The period to which their Report related had been productive of luunerous interesting discoveries, and no slight extension of the knowledge of national antiquities. Increased activity and intelligence seems to pervade all classes. The Committee remarked, with high gratification, the important investi- gations at Corinium, — the enlightened spirit and activity with which they had been prosecuted, — the formation and advancement of nuiseunis, as at that place, by the liberal intervention of the Earl Bathurst, at Caerleon also, and in other localities. They observed, with lively interest, the progressive energy of numerous provincial societies, as shown especially in the pilgrimage on the line of the Roman wall, achieved by the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, — the Cambrian Assembly at Caerdiff, — the interesting Convention of the Societies of East Anglia at Thetford, — the Meeting of the Antiquaries of Sussex at Arundel, — the successful institution of similar societies in Cheshire and Somerset, — the fresh and intelligent stimulus given to National Archaeology in Edinburgh, in Kilkenny, and other districts of the empire. The Report concluded by urging upon the attention of the members the necessity of greater punctuality in the remittance of the annual contribution. It would otherwise be impracticable to sustain the periodical publication of the Society in its actual state of elHciency, or continue to su[)ply the large amount of illustration rc(piired for suitable record of the numerous com- munications, which constantly evinced the active interest of the Society