occasion prevailed upon to resume his office for another year. The Council have felt that on his retirement from duties which have been performed with so much ability and zeal, and with a success to which the prosperity of the Society bears such ample witness, it was due both to the Society and to Dr. Hume that some official recognition of those services should be made. They therefore recommend the presentation to Dr. Hume of a Diploma of Life Membership; and believing that it will be a general wish that the honours of a Society like ours should be awarded to those who have benefitted it by their labours, the Council have nominated Dr. Hume for election on the present occasion as one of the Vice-Presidents. Their anxiety as to the appointment of a suitable successor has been ended, in a manner upon which they congratulate the Society, by the consent of Nicholas Waterhouse Esq. to accept the office of its Honorary Secretary.

The interchange of serial and other publications between this Society and those in union with it has continued as heretofore; recent addi̟ tions to the Library, chiefly from this source, have been bound and placed in the lately purchased bookcase, which is now quite full, and the succeeding Council will find it necessary to provide accommodation for those further accessions which are steadily being made. The Museum occupies a set of cases in the Gallery of Inventions and Science; it is being re-arranged under the supervision of the Curator, with the object of increasing the interest and usefulness of the collection.

In accordance with the Laws, the names of gentlemen recommended for election to the Council are submitted herewith.

COMPARATIVE ACCOUNT OF THE NUMERICAL STRENGTH OF

It was moved by J. R. HUGHES Esq., seconded by J. H. GIBSON Esq., and resolved unanimously:

That the Report now read be adopted, and printed and circulated with the Proceedings of the Society.

It was moved by E. F. EVANS Esq., seconded by THOMAS SANSOM Esq., F.B.S.E., and resolved unanimously:

:

That the thanks of the Society be given to the Officers and Sectional Members of the Council for their services during the past Session.

It was moved by the Chairman, seconded by DAVID BUXTON Esq., F.R.S.L., and resolved unanimously:

That this Society desires to convey to the Rev. A. Hume, D.C.L., &c., &c., its cordial and special thanks for his zealous and efficient services, both as one of its founders and, from the period of its organization to the present time, as its Honorary Secretary; and, as the highest official Testimonial of its appreciation of those services which the Society can bestow, elects Dr. Hume a Life Member on and from this date.

It was moved by WILLIAM BURKE Esq., seconded by the Rev. Dr. HUME, and resolved unanimously :—

That the thanks of this Society be given to J. F. MARSH Esq., of Warrington, for exhibiting to the members and their friends, at the Shakspeare Tercentenary celebration, on the 20th of April last, his valuable collection of early editions of Shakspeare and other rare works of the period.

It was moved by J. T. Towson Esq., F.R.G.S., seconded by THOMAS DAWSON Esq., M.R.C.S., and resolved unanimously:

That the thanks of the Society be given to F. J. JEFFERY Esq., F.G.H.S., for his donation of seven valuable illustrations for the Annual Volume for the past year.

A ballot having been taken for the Officers and Sectional Members of the Council, the result was announced from the chair. (See page iv.)

Thanks were voted by acclamation to the Chairman for his services during the evening, and the proceedings terminated.

At the Annual General Meeting held on the 18th of October, 1865, the Rev. A. HUME, D.C.L., V.P., in the Chair, the Treasurer's Statement of Accounts for Session XVI was read as follows:

Dr.

THE HISTORIC SOCIETY OF LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE in account with

WILLIAM BURKE, Treasurer.

Cr.

It was moved by PETER R. M'QUIE Esq., seconded by ROBERT JONES Esq., and resolved unanimously :—

That the Treasurer's Statement of Accounts for 1863-64, now presented, be passed and printed and circulated with the Proceedings of the Society.

3rd November, 1864.

ARCHEOLOGICAL SECTION.

Rev. A. HUME, LL.D., Vice-President, in the Chair.

1. Memoir of the late A. H. Rhind, of Sibster, by John Stewart.
2. Reminiscences connected with the old panelling now at Gungrog,
by Morris Charles Jones.

The following objects of interest were exhibited :—

By the Chairman.

1. Two specimens of circular perforated stones common in Ireland, but the use of which is unknown. One was partially bored on each side, and the other was pierced through, in both cases with a conical borer. They are regarded as sling-stones or plummets; and frequently as the pivots on which the two iron axes of the quern-stones revolved in the process of domestic grinding.

2. The head of a gigantic spur, the rowel of which had eight points, each more than an inch long. It is supposed by some, however, that the instrument had been attached to a wooden handle, and had formed part of an offensive weapon.

By Mr. Jacob.

1. A China snuff box, mounted in gold; from the Stowe collection. 2. An immense spoon, about thirty inches in length, having a wreath-pattern handle; the whole formed of a single piece of elephant's tusk, from the collection of Lord Dungannon.

3. An Indian war-knife.

4. An Indian engraved pebble bracelet, obtained at Lucknow. By Mr. Douglas, through Mr. Jacob.

A crucifix taken from a Roman church during a riot about ninety years ago; the figure is of oxidized silver, probably by Cellini, and is very fine.

By Dr. Nottingham.

1. An illustrated Japanese book, recently presented to the Rev. Dr. Hume.

2. A pamphlet printed on paper consisting of equal parts of wood and rags.

3. A piece of the pulp obtained from wood and ready for mixture with the rag material, as employed in the process of W. S. Losh Esq., near Carlisle.

By Mr. Stephenson.

Two Japanese coins, both quadrangular, one being of silver gilt and the other of silver.

By Mr. Thomas Dawson.

1. A piece of the wire of magnesium, which was burned to shew the brilliancy of its light.

2. A great number of volumes of Liverpool pamphlets.

The following Paper was read :

THE PAMPHLET LITERATURE OF LIVERPOOL-Conclusion,* by Thomas Dawson Esq., M.R.C.S.L.

10th November, 1864. LITERARY SECTION.

HENRY ARTHUR BRIGHT Esq., M.A., in the Chair.

The following donations were presented :

From the Royal Asiatic Society.
Journal, vol i, part i, N.S.

From the Statistical Society.

Journal, vol. xxxii, parts ii and iii.
From the Geological Society.

1. Quarterly Journal, Nos. 78 and 80.
2. List of Members, Nov. 1st, 1864.

From the Liverpool Athenæum.

Catalogue of the Athenæum Library. From the Chairman.

Catalogue of the Renshaw Street Chapel Library. From Mr. Genn.

A fossil found in Lancashire coal.

The following objects of interest were exhibited :

By the Chairman.

1. A Russian MS found in the Redan on the taking of Sebastopol. 2. An unsigned document, dated 33 Car. ii (1682), releasing one Ellesdon, of Charmouth, from the payment of certain Customs duties received by him, amounting to about four thousand pounds, "in regard that he was instrumentall to our escape after the fatal battell of Worcester." It has attached to it the royal seal, and bears the following endorsement:

"Found in the room where the king was concealed in "Charmouth Manor-house, and presented to me by James "Warden Esq., lord of the manor, 1786.

(s)

"John Cranch."

3. The original MS of Godwin's novel, "Fleetwood."

* Transactions, p. 73, and vol. iv, N.S., pp. 240 and 244.