Ever since you did me the honour of making me your President it has been fairly inevitable that the subject of today's Address should connect the work of hydrographers with that of navigators. It has also been clear to me that I should not try to emulate too closely the two distinguished men of science who have been my predecessors in office. Their Addresses have contemplated, and given us useful thoughts for, the future; mine will be more easily developed from the standpoint of the user, and will attempt to see how accepted principles and methods are in fact being applied for the navigator's purposes.