REPORT FOR 1857.

THE Hakluyt Society, on this Anniversary, has completed the tenth year of its existence, during which time it is hoped that it has not unworthily fulfilled the purpose for which it was established.

It is with the deepest regret that the Council have to record the loss which the Society, in common with the whole literary world, has sustained by the decease of the Earl of Ellesmere. His Lordship was for seven years one of the Vice-Presidents of the Society, and at all times took a great interest in its labours. It is not here the place to dwell on the virtues, talents, and amiable deportment which characterized that excellent and greatly respected nobleman. They are too well and extensively recognized to require expression here. The Members of the Society are aware that they have had the advantage not only of his influential 'd in advocating the interests of the Society, but also of his

ve labours in translating and editing one of the Society's ost interesting publications. So great a loss will not be easily replaced.

Besides this very serious loss, death has deprived the Society, during the past twelvemonth, of four other Members. Meanwhile there has been an accession of ten new Members. There have been two voluntary withdrawals from the Society during the same period, to counterbalance which two Members, who had previously withdrawn, have rejoined it, paying up the arrears which had been allowed to lapse.

The Balance Sheet at the foot of this Report, will show that the funds of the Society are in a sound and wholesome condition; the balance there recorded being free from any outstanding accounts whatever, beyond that which is

2

accruing on works now at press, and by far the greater part of the expense there quoted for transcriptions and lithographs being in anticipation of works now in course of preparation. Meanwhile there is a considerable amount of arrears to be called in, for which purpose a circular has been recently issued.

As it is frequently the wish of new Subscribers to purchase the entire set of the Society's previous publications, the Council has been desirous of meeting this wish with due consideration to the maintenance of the value of their publications in the hands of old Subscribers. It is obvious that each succeeding year, increasing, as it does, the sum to be claimed, would make this calculation extremely difficult, were it not, that at the same time it enhances the value of the works from their increasing scarceness, and thus presents an additional inducement to Subscribers to pay the sum demanded, which, however just, might otherwise prove an obstacle. The Council has therefore resolved, that a new Member joining the Society in the present year, shall be entitled to receive all the books issued and due up to the close of 1856, for six guineas, which sum does not include the subscription for the present year. This rule is distinctly understood to include the proviso, that the complete set of the Society's productions shall be taken by the Members newly joining, to the preclusion of any selection of single volumes from the entire series.

Since the last General Meeting, the following volumes. have been delivered to Members:

THE VOYAGE OF SIR HENRY MIDDLETON TO BANTAM AND THE MALUCO ISLANDS; being the second Voyage set forth by the Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies. From the Edition of 1606. Annotated and Edited by Bolton Corney, Esq.

RUSSIA AT THE CLOSE OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY, comprising the Russe Commonwealth, by Dr. Giles Fletcher, and Sir Jerome Horsey's Travels, now first printed entire from his MS. in the British Museum. Edited, with an introduction, by E. A. Bond, Esq., of the British Museum.

3

The following works are in progress, of which, those in italics, it is hoped, will shortly appear.

The Travels of Girolamo Benzoni, in America, in 154256. To be translated and edited by Admiral W. H. Smyth, K.S.F., D.C.L.

A Monograph on the Life and Voyages of Henry Hudson. Edited by N. E. S. Hamilton, Esq., of the British Museum. With an Introduction by George Asher, Esq., LL.D.

A Journal of Vasco da Gama's Voyage to India by the Cape of Good Hope. By By one of his Companions. Translated from the reprint of the original MS., published at Oporto in 1838. Translated from the Portuguese, and Edited with other Documents, forming a Monograph on De Gama, by Richard Garnett, Esq., of the British Museum.

THE FIRST VOYAGE OF THE DUTCH TO THE EAST INDIES. Edited by George Asher, Esq., LL.D.

A COLLECTION OF DOCUMENTS ON THE EARLY DISCOVERIES OF AUSTRALIA. To be Edited by R. H. Major, Esq., of the British Museum.

THE “CARTA QUINTA OF FERNANDO CORTES, describing his expedition into Honduras, now first translated into English, and Edited by W. R. Steet, Esq.

Other works promised by Editors are :—

A TRANSLATION FROM THE GERMAN OF ROSMITAL'S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY, ENGLAND, FRANCE, SPAIN, PORTUGAL, AND ITALY, IN 1465, &c., containing Notices. of the Events, Manners, and Customs of the Time. Edited by Charles Cannon Esq., of the British Museum.

A COLLECTION OF EARLY DOCUMENTS, to form a Supplement to the "Narrative of Voyages towards the North West." By T. Rundall, Esq.

SOFALAH. The History of Eastern Ethiopia, by J. dos Santos, 1607. To be translated and edited, with notes, by W. Desborough Cooley, Esq.