"Your Committee therefore is unanimous in recommending, in modification of the resolution of the 1st April, that the services of Dr. PEARSON be secured at the rate of 150 rupees per mensem, for a limited term at first, say one year, at the expiration of which it would be seen whether or not it would be desirable to continue the system, or to have recourse to the obliging assistance of the Baron HUGEL to procure a regular curator from Europe."

(Signed)

E. RYAN.

W. MORRISON.
W. H. MACNAGHTEN.
J. T. PEARSON.

After some discussion, it was resolved; that the Society should avail itself of the services of Dr. J. T. PEARSON as curator, and that a sum of 200 rupees per mensem should be devoted to the purposes of the museum for the period of one year: the 50 rupees excess being intended for contingencies, cabinets, &c. or for an assistant, for the office of which M. BOUCHE' of Chandernagore was an applicant.

A letter from J. B. GARDNER was read, proposing to repair the monument of Sir W. JONES, in the church-yard, for rupees 250. Referred to the Committee of Papers.

Read a letter from Mr. J. K. KANE, Secretary of the American Philosophical Society, forwarded by Mr. T. RYAN, acknowledging the receipt of Part 2nd of volume xviii. of the Asiatic Researches.

Library.

Read a letter from Monsieur M. D'AVEZAC DE MACAYA, Secretary to the Geographical Society of Paris, &c. &c. presenting two pamphlets. 1.- Examen et Rectification des Positions determinés Astronomiquement en Afrique par Mungo Park."

2.-"Notice sur L'apparition nouvelle D'un Prophête Mussulman en Afrique." The following books were also presented.

Transactions of the Medical and Physical Society of Calcutta, Part 2 of volume vii.-by the Society, through Dr. HUTCHINSON, Secretary.

The Indian Journal of Medical Science, volume 2nd, Nos. 16, 17—by the Editors.

Madras Journal of Literature and Science, No. 7-by the Madras Literary Society.

SCOTT WARING's Tour to Shiraz by the route of Kazroon and Feerozabadby H. N. THAKUR.

Meteorological Register for March, 1835-by the Surveyor General.

Dr. R. HARLAN's Fauna Americana, presented for the author-by Mr. H. PIDDINGTON.

Antiquities.

A letter was read from Mr. J. B. ELLIOTT, Commissioner of Patna, forwarding an impression taken in sheet-lead of an inscription on the plinth of some figures of the Avatars, sculptured on a black stone which he ob tained at Kesariah in the neighbourhood of the mound depicted in the last No. of the Journal.

A note on the interpretation of the line was read by the Rev. Dr. MILL.

Extracts of a letter from Captain WADE were read, communicating interesting accounts of further progress made by M. MASSON in his exploration of the Afghán topes.

Extracts of letter from Mr. Masson to Captain Wade, dated the 15th July, 1834.

"I had the pleasure of addressing you from Peshawar about the middle of May, and now avail myself of a Cossid proceeding to Cabúl to transmit through your Agent Meer Syad KarAMAT ALI, a brief account of my proceedings since that time.

"In three or four days after I wrote you, I left Peshawar for SúLTAN MAHOMAD KHAN'S Camp at Sheikan, and thence proceeded to Jalalabad by the route of Abkanu. On arrival there, I recommenced operations on the topes remaining in that vicinity, and these labors have fully occupied me until this time, and continue to do so.

"I rejoice to say that very fair success has attended my operations; of seven unpromising topes, as to appearance, opened near Chaharbagh of Jalalabad, four yielded results satisfactory, one of which will be interesting from the coins therein discovered. Of fourteen topes and tumuli opened at Hiddáh, the greater portion have alike yielded the wished-for results in relics and medals; one produced a very splended collection of relics and a great number of coins, the major part silver Sassanian, but also seven gold ones, of which singular to relate, are five of Roman Emperors, two of THEODOSIUS, two of LEO, and one of MARCIANUS. These coins are themselves curious, and the discovery of them in such a place is not less so, and they may be of great use in assisting to ascertain the epoch when the monument containing them may have been built. "I note the legends of the coins*, I have discovered for your information, and when I receive your reply to this letter, shall forward to Mr, PRINSEP, for publication in his Journal, an account of this interesting tope, and of the relics and coins extracted.

"I continue to hear of or to fall upon others of these monuments in a variety of situations, and as their importance is obvious, shall not relax in the pursuit of their identification: they will fully occupy me until the winter, therefore I must defer a visit to the countries north of the Hindu Kush until the next season.

"The 30th September, 1834. Nearly a month since I arrived in Cabúl and took in hand a tope which had been opened and abandoned by M. HONIGBERGER, at a spot called Gool Durah: from this were extracted eight fine gold coins with etcetera, seven of them of the king KADPHICES: the eighth of a prince of the same family. I am now in the Kohistan for the purpose of operating on two topes in critical spots, availing myself of the presence of MAHMAD AKBAR, DOST MAHOMED KHAN'S SOD. My collection of coins this year will far exceed that of the last, and I have found several new ones. Last night I procured a copper Menander of very large size, and at Cabúl I gained a silver one more large and beautiful than any that I have seen or heard of. When the year's labors close I shall draw up the result, and I hope to be able to identify another Greek monarchy distinct from those of Bactria and Nysa."

In a letter to Colonel POTTINGER, M. MASSON gives further particulars of the Hiddah Tope. "The relics found there comprise a handsome gold box with cover set with gems, and at the top a fine blue stone; this was originally filled with a liquid perfume, in which musk predominated. This box was enclosed in a larger silver one with this was also a smaller silver one, containing four Sassanian coins, one or two gems, and an unctuous substance. The whole was contained in a box of iron, gilt, and this again was enclosed in a large copper vessel handsomely washed with gold, which was half filled with a liquid mixed with earth and impregnated with the oxyd of copper. In this copper vessel were 180 silver Sassanian coins, and two golden, probably Hindu, with three copper ones of Koveen (?) types. In the iron gilt box were three golden Roman coins, and in the golden box within it, two others of THEODOSIUS; the former were one of MARCIANUS and two of LEO. In the copper vessel moreover were two gold rings, on one of them the gem engraved with the head of a sovereign, and among the detached gems is another one engraved. Besides the gold ones there is a multitude of plain silver ones, and a variety of fragments of ornaments: upon the whole this has been the richest prize yet produced from any of the topes opened."

[M. MASSON'S correspondence with Col. POTTINGER, with a sight of which we have been favored, contains lists of all the relics hitherto collected by him, and held at the disposal of the Bombay Government, in consideration of the

* As we may expect a full account hereafter, it is needless to insert the legends here; they are evidently genuine Roman coins.

pecuniary assistance accorded him through Colonel POTTINGER. The number of coins sent to this officer amounts to upwards of 2220. They could not be sin better hands, and we trust soon to hear of their introduction to public notice with the advantage of his learned elucidations. The number of topes excavated up to the present moment has been in Duroonter, 10; at Chaharbagh 7; and at Hiddáh 14. Mr. MASSON's promised communication to ourselves will, without doubt, contain the particulars of all these.]

A notice by Mr. B. H. HODGSON on the Sárnáth inscription was communicated.

[Printed in the present No.]

Physical.

A letter from Colonel CASEMENT, Secretary to Government, Military Department, was read, forwarding an extract of a dispatch from the Honorable Court of Directors, expressive of the interest taken by them in the experimental boring in Fort William, for the successful prosecution of which they have caused a supply of tubes and rods to be sent out; and directing a full report on the further progress of this interesting object of public utility. The following memorandum on the Society's report by the H. C. Inspector of military stores was appended.

Memorandum on the subject of Boring for water, with reference to the Report of a Committee appointed by the Asiatic Society of Calcutta upon experiments made at Fort William, for the purpose of obtaining a supply of potable water.

"In submitting a statement herewith, of the pipes, rods and tools for boring for water, now under supply for Bengal, in addition to the ten sets of boring apparatus provided upon the indent of 18th December, 1832, I beg to observe, that anticipating the objection made to the length of the rods formerly supplied to Bengal, viz. six feet, I had already caused those for the ten sets furnished upon the indent above mentioned, to be made in lengths of 10 feet each, and have now determined upon making the additional rods to be provided, in lengths of 20 feet, similar to those sent to Madras, and Bombay. If these lengths are found to be more generally useful than the old ones, the short rods which the Bengal Government at present possess, can easily be lengthened by cutting them in two, and welding in the centre of each a piece of the length required.

"As the screws of each description of rods are exactly similar in the thread, they may be used together, which will enable the operators to penetrate to any depth the soil, &c. will permit.

"With regard to the pipe, so necessary to the successful prosecution of the work, (and the want of which has been so much dwelt upon,) 1000 feet of cast iron pipe has been provided of the following interior dimensions, viz. 8 inch, 6 inch, and 4 inch; which will admit of the one being passed through the other, but as it will not be necessary to use cast iron pipe the whole depth, sheet iron pipe (which can be readily made upon the spot of any size required) should be used wherever it may be practicable. Two lengths of these of 5 inch diameter are sent as patterns.

"With regard to the alleged breakage of augers; the second page of the Report of the Committee appointed by the Asiatic Society, forwarded from Bengal, presents an abstract of the several experiments in boring: from which it would appear, that in no less than eleven instances the work was given up in consequence of the auger breaking, and in no one case the rod. I am inclined to think there must be some mistake in this, for from the formation of the auger it is scarcely possible to break it in the act of boring, it being stronger than the rod. In the seventh page of Dr. Strong's Report, allusion, however, is made to two instances in which the rods broke and remained in the ground; and in the ninth page, he again mentions, that the borer broke, and 91 feet of rod were lost. From this I infer, that in most of the instances of failure, it was the rod, and not the auger that broke; and that the accident would probably not have occurred, had

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the jumper and drill been used before the auger; or if it had occurred, that the broken rod might have been extracted by means of a proper tool.

"The Diagram and plan alluded to in the Report, have not been forwarded to England, which is to be regretted.

Upon the whole, it does not appear that the results of these experiments, to such extent as they have been carried, are at all discouraging, or that the failures attending their progress have been more than might have been expected, considering the defective knowledge of boring in the early stages of the operation at Calcutta, the deficiency of tools for piercing the various strata, and the want of pipes to prevent the falling in of sand, or the irruption of the land springs. "The progressive improvement in carrying on the work, is evinced by the fact, that the same depth has of late been attained in six months, that formerly occupied two years. It may therefore reasonably be hoped, that upon being provided with further facilities, and such tools as experience in this country has shewn to be necessary, the undertaking if vigorously prosecuted will eventually be crowned with success.

(Signed) "J. T. BONNER, Inspector."

A letter from Major J. COLVIN, Engineers, dated 11th April, 1835, announced the dispatch of six chests of fossils from the lower hills, in furtherance of his promise to present the result of his labors to the Society's Museum.

[These will be noticed further on arrival.]

A letter from Conductor DAWE, Delhi Canal Department, dated 17th April, noticed the discovery of a fossil Buffalo's head of large dimension, found in the vicinity of the Haripur pass, in the lower range of hills. A sketch accompanied, and Mr. DAWE expressed his willingness to present the specimen itself to the Society.-Accepted with thanks.

A Memoir on the strata and formation of the alluvium of the Jamna and Doab, with numerous drawings and sections, was received from Sergeant DEAN, in illustration of the series of specimens presented in his name at the last Meeting.

[This paper will be published in an early number.]

Further observations on the moon's influence on rain were submitted by the Rev. R. EVEREST.

J. T. PEARSON brought forward a motion to the following purport: "That the committee of papers be requested to consider the propriety of admitting a new order of members into the Society, to be called Associate Members of the Asiatic Society, and to consider upon the terms of their admission."

The object of this resolution, he explained, was to obtain the assistance of many scientific men who were now prevented from joining the Society by their inability to pay the quarterly subscriptions. The dignity of Honorary Membership should be reserved for those distinguished orientalists out of India whose contributions to our Transactions or our Library, or whose successful promotion of the objects of the Asiatic Society, should merit such a reward. The grade of associates would merely imply admission to all the privileges of ordinary paying members, conferred upon those whose labours would be valuable in their respective departments, and who were unable to pay. It was so understood in the Linnean Society, which derived material aid from its associate members.

The resolution was seconded by Mr. W. H. MACNAGHTEN and adopted by the meeting.

The Secretary called the attention of the Society to the late important resolution of the Government, suspending the printing of all the Oriental works hitherto in the course of publication under the auspices of the General Committee of Public Instruction.

He had ventured to bring forward a motion on the subject at the last meeting, but had withdrawn it, under the impression that it was premature, and that

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Government might be induced to reconsider the effect of such a measure. however now held in his hand a copy of the order to the Printers, directing them to discontinue all the works in hand (with one exception), and to dismiss the establishment hitherto entertained for the transcription and collation of MSS., and for the correction of the Sanscrit and Arabic Press.

The principal Sanscrit works thus consigned to sudden destruction were :

1st. The Mahábhárata, expected to form five quarto volumes, and printed nearly to the middle of the 2nd volume, 1400 pp., or little more than one-third of the work.

2nd. The Rájatarangini, comprising one quarto volume of 620 pages, of which about 200 remain to be printed.

3rd. The Naishada; of this 600 pages or rather more than one-third have been executed.

4th. The Susruta, to occupy 2 vols. royal octavo. Of these 714 pages, forming the first volume, and three-fourths of the second, are already printed.

5th. The Sarirak vidya, a translation of an English work on Anatomy into Sanscrit, of which 20 pages remain unprinted.

Of Arabic works, the order of Government will extend to

6th. The Fatawa Alemgirl, of which one-half of the sixth and last volume, only, is deficient. (The Committee of Education have however recommended this work to be completed.)

7th. The Khazánat al Ilm, a valuable exposé of European mathematics in Persian, of which 500 pages are printed, and 106 remain.

8th. The Indya, of which the last two volumes are printed, and 450 pages of the second volume. 150 pages of the latter, and the whole of the first volume (of which a correct manuscript has with great difficulty been obtained), remain to be printed.

9th. A treatise on Algebra by Dr. MILL, proceeding on the basis of a translation of Bridge's Treatise, but much modified and enlarged; with an Appendix on the application of analysis to geometry and trigonometry. The two first parts to the end of plane trigonometry are finished: but a continuation of the Appendix to spherics remains to be passed through the press.

Many other works might be enumerated, particularly the translations into Arabic of HUTTON'S Mathematics, HOOPER'S Vademecum, and CROCKER'S Land Surveying, by Dr. JOHN TYTLER, which are left in an unfinished state. But prospectively, the interdiction extends to all the Oriental classics selected by the late Committee and by Mr. WILSON as eminently fit to be preserved in a printed form. The Rámáyana, and some of the Puránas; the Mugdhabodha, with commentary, and other works on Grammar; various standard treatises on Law, Rhetoric, and Logic; and eventually, the Vedas themselves :-also the standard Bauddha works in Sanscrit brought to light by Mr. HODGSON* ; the Surya Siddhanta, and the works of BHA'sKAR A'CHA'RYA, urgently recommended for publication by Mr. WILKINSON; and a vast number of others which might have been gradually undertaken as the means of the Committee should permit.

Without entering into any discussion as to the propriety of the measure as regarded the great object of Education, he deemed it his duty as Secretary to bring to the notice of the Society a resolution fraught with such destructive results to the ancient literature of the country, and opposed so sternly to the interests and objects of the Asiatic Society, which seemed called upon not only to remonstrate, but in every way to exert its influence to save the venerable fabric of Indian literature from such a catastrophe, and to rescue our national character from the stigma of so unjust, unpopular, and impolitic an act, which was not

A friend has pointed out to me the following passage of a letter published by Lieut. WEBB in a Calcutta periodical in the year 1823.

"You are yet all in the dark, and will remain so, until you have explored the grand libraries of Patan, a city in Rájputána and Jesselmere, a town north-west of Joudpur-and Cambay; together with the travelling libraries of the Jain bishops. These contain tens of thousands of volumes, and I have endeavoured to open the eyes of some scholars here on the subject. At Jesselmere are the original books of Bhauda (Buddha), the Sybilline volumes which none dare even handle. Until all these have been examined, let us declare our ignorance of Hindu literature, for we have only gleaned in the field contaminated by conquest, and where no genuine record could be hoped for."