Submission of papers to the journal is on the increase again. After a fall last year the number of papers received has risen to 115, none of which were for special issues. Despite this, the wait before publication has fallen significantly during the last year, so that after acceptance manuscripts are now being published within about 6 months compared with 8 months last year. As the number of issues has risen and will continue to do so it is hoped that this timescale can be maintained.
The reduction in backlog has also been helped by the fact that there have been no special issues of the journal this year. Two are planned for 1999, one of fluvial papers from the 1997 IAG meeting in Bologna (Editors Colin Thorne/ Paolo Billi) and a second arising from the Conference of Aeolian Research (Editor Ian Livingstone) in July 1998.
During 1998 the Editorial Board has increased in size. Ana Coelho Netto, Nick Lancaster and Tom Spencer have joined us and Michael Selby has stepped down. There will be further changes in the Editorial Board for 1999, allowing some retirements and replacements in slightly different topical and geographical areas. I should like to thank all the retiring editors ยฑ Frank Ahnert, Derek Ford, Avijit Gupta, Michael Selby, David Sugden and Bruce Thom ยฑ for their assistance and advice in the form and content of the journal over recent years. Very particular thanks are due also to Keith Richards who retires as Book Review Editor and to Jack Hardisty for editing the Technical and Software Bulletin.
I am delighted to welcome as new members of the Editorial Board for 1999,