Cow-Bog market in Londonderry, which had been let by the Corporation on a toties quoties lease; and also to the several occupying tenants of the lands of Springtown and Coglast, also formerly held by the Corporation. And the Deputation recommended in the same report, in consideration of the tenure by which the Lecky family held the lands of Springtown and Coglast, under the Corporation of Londonderry, by a toties quoties lease, which they had considered and relied on would be perpetually renewed to them; and as the Deputation had considered it most conducive to the benefit and improvement of the Society's estate, to recom mend leases to be granted to the tenants in possession, to the exclusion of the Lecky family, they resolved that a gratuity of £50 a year be given to Alexander Lecky, during his life, and £25 a year to Alderman Thomas Lecky, which report was confirmed at a Court held on the same day; and the Court afterwards resolved to augment Alderman Thomas Lecky's allowance to £40 a year instead of £25.

The second report of the Deputation, dated 6th November, contained a detailed statement of various holdings, having been formerly part of the Slob, or shore of the river Foyle, and reclaimed therefrom; the agreements entered into with various occupiers for leases, and the general measures which the Deputation had adopted with regard to the Slob; and the Deputation concluded their report by the following observations:-" Having thus minutely stated our proceedings on this very important part of our instructions, we trust the Society, when they consider the difficulties with which the Deputation had to contend, will be of opinion that we have done all in our power to bring the various persons concerned to acknowledge the rights of the Society, and to declare themselves ready to become tenants for the various holdings on the reclaimed part of the Slob. These difficulties, in the first place, were owing to reviving claims to territory which had long lain dormant, and which former

Societies had considered as of little or no value, and which the parties who had made improvements thereon had long calculated upon as their own freeholds; in the next place, from the tenure which the Deputation thought right to offer, being leases for sixty-one years, and which the Deputation had reason to think were not accepted, from a belief that the Society would be disposed to grant the same in perpetuity, according to the tenure of the perches to which they are adjoining; the Deputation, however, did not feel themselves warranted in offering those lots in perpetuity, from a conviction that such tenure was injurious to the real interest of the Society. Your Deputation, moreover, beg leave to observe, that they considered it right to demand only such rents as they would have required for the bare and uncovered Slob, without any buildings erected on the same. And if, by so doing, they have materially increased the rent-roll of the Society, they trust they may take the liberty of observing, that such increase bears no proportion to the real value, and consequently to the advance that will hereafter be experienced, when the leases now recommended to be granted shall expire. After this detail of our proceedings, and the grounds thereof, it will remain for the Society to determine what steps they will adopt, either by further conciliatory measures, or by legal means to enforce their rights."

b

The third report of the Deputation, dated 20th November, sets forth, that they had consulted David Babington, Esq. their law agent, on the expediency of making a purchase of the Flowerfield estate, mentioned in their instructions, who had advised, that in consequence of some recent occurrences which had come to his knowledge, for the present the measure should be suspended. They recommended a lease to be granted of a piece of ground in Ballynagowan, called the Recorder's park, to the Right Hon. Sir George F. Hill, Bart. for so long time as he should continue Recorder

of Derry, at five shillings a year. They also recommended that Sir George F. Hill should hold the Race-Course Bog under the Society during its pleasure, for the preservation of the Race Ground and Turbary; the former as a trustee for the public, and the latter for the benefit of such of the Society's tenants as were entitled to cut therefrom, he paying an acknowledgment to the Society of twenty shillings a year, but to cut no turbary himself. Also, they recommended fifty copies of a proposed work, entitled, "Derriana," to be taken for the use of the members of the Society. The Deputation detailed the particulars before stated, with regard to the application made to the Corporation of Coleraine for an inspection of their records; and they recommended the Society should not renew the lease of premises which the Corporation held under the Society. The report embraces the various applications made by persons in Coleraine, for holdings in the town under the Corporation, and for parts of the reclaimed bog in the neighbourhood; recommends leases to be granted to the persons respectively requiring them, and recommends donations of £10 to be respectively given towards the repair of the Catholic chapels of Derry and Coleraine, and towards the funds of Coleraine Infirmary, and takes notice of some general measures necessary to be adopted with regard to a holding in Coleraine, used as a gaol; and concludes with some directions to the law agent and land agent, with regard to preparing separate leases of holdings in perpetuity. This report was confirmed, with the exception of that part recommending donations to the Catholic chapels.

The fourth report of the Deputation, dated the 4th of December, fully explained all the proceedings had with the Corporation of Londonderry, with reference to their records, and the paramount jurisdiction of the Society, which having been heretofore detailed, it is unnecessary that the same should be here repeated.

The report further stated, that a part of the town lands of Termonbacco was out of lease, and the Deputation recommended leases to be granted to the several occupying

tenants.

The Deputation then reported, that, in accordance to the instructions given them to visit the various charitable institutions, they visited the infirmary, which appeared to be a very useful institution, and properly conducted; that the Flax Fund, or Penny Society, lately established in Derry for the purpose of giving employment to the poor, was deserving of the consideration of future members of the Society, as an object worthy of aid, and to which they had already contributed the sum of £50; that they had found a subscription still on foot for the relief of indigent room-keepers, to whom the Society had also already contributed £30. Respecting schools in general in Londonderry, the Deputation reported, in regard to the Free Grammar School, that the circumstances relative to that school, and the annual subscriptions of the Society thereto, were to be found at large in the records of the Society, to which they begged leave to refer; and the present particulars of the funds of the school would be found in a printed statement annexed to their report; but they regretted to observe, that the Corporation of Londonderry had, since the year 1810, thought proper to withdraw their customary donation to the said school, by reason, as they alleged, of their funds being about to be diminished by the increased rent proposed to be reserved by your Society upon the renewal of their leases. They also reported that a Sunday school, lately established in Londonderry, under the patronage of the Bishop and Dean of Derry, wherein children of all religious denominations are permitted to receive instruction, was, in the opinion of the Deputation, deserving of encouragement by the Society; and they therefore recommended an annual contribution of ten guineas to be granted thereto. They reported, that

they had been applied to for the purpose of establishing school in the Upper Liberties of Londonderry, but expressed reluctance to recommend the Society to incur the expence without an adequate co-operation of the inhabitants with regard to pecuniary assistance.

That they found a school conducted under the patronage of Mrs. Knox, in the house formerly appropriated for the Blue School in Londonderry, the Blue School haying been long discontinued.

That they also visited the Bishop's School, founded on Erasmus Smith's plan, which had been noticed in the report of the Deputation of 1814, and found it still under the same desirable regulations.

That they visited the Sunday School at Glendermot, and they recommended an annual donation of five guineas thereto.

That a fund, called the Charitable Loan, had been established at Londonderry, which the Deputation considered as deserving the attention of the Society, and laid before the Society a printed statement of their funds.

That they had also visited the houses built for the reception of clergymen's widows, and laid before the Society a printed statement of their funds.

They recommended a donation of £10 to be granted to the Wesleyan Methodists in Londonderry; and also a donation of £10 each to the Catholic Bishop of Derry, and the Catholic Minister of Coleraine, to be respectively applied for charitable purposes.

That they had directed the old names of various streets in Londonderry to be restored, the same having been lately improperly altered.

They recommended an inquiry to be made with regard to the Red Bog, marked in the Society's map of Londonderry Acres, N° 46; at present occupied by Sir G. Hill, and for which no rent was paid.