remained safely concealed underground. Research and excavation brought these out in ever-increasing numbers. In 1913, from a depth of 20 feet there emerged under the late Dr. Spooner's skilful supervision, within a few miles of this spot, the multipillared Mauryan Palace at Kumrahar after 23 centuries of existence, including 15 centuries of interment. In 1915 the monastery of Nalanda, buried for centuries, once more opened its cloisters with their treasures of a by-gone age to the same patient and persevering excavator, whose work was ably continued by Pandit Hiranand Shastri, and for some years now by Mr. Page of the Archæological Service. We are at present, through the local Government, negotiating with the Government of India for an equitable distribution of Nalanda's treasures and hope that permission will be given to remove share to the Patna Museum from the somewhat inaccessible. bungalow at Nalanda.

The position was becoming obviously embarrassing to the few enthusiasts with imagination in such matters amongst us then. Now, a modicum of imagination in man is a valuable and almost necessary asset-for it begets enthusiasm, and enthusiasm is the driving power of effort which when controlled and directed leads to successful accomplishment, as the sequel shows.

Official support was needed and needed urgently-and it soon came from a high-placed official, himself an enthusiast. I refer to Sir Edward Gait, K.C.S.I., C.I.E., on whose initiative an inaugural meeting of the Bihar and Orissa Research Society was held, presided over by Sir Charles Bayley, the first LieutenantGovernor of the new Province. At this meeting the Research Society was founded, and Mr. Sachchhidananda Sinha brought forward the first serious proposal to establish a Museum. At a subsequent meeting, at which Mr. Jayaswal, a member of my Managing Committee was present, it was decided to move Government to construct a Provincial Museum which would also provide accommodation for the Research Society and its Library. A Committee, composed of Mr. Jennings, the late Mr. Jackson

and Mr. Fawcus was formed and requested to work out an appropriate scheme to this end.

This Committee's Report followed in due course, but such was the financial stringency due to the Great War that Government found it impossible to provide the 3 lakhs of rupees required by Mr. Munnings, the then Government Architect, for a building planned by him. That plan is on record and is in no way comparable to the design of the building which Your Excellency is asked to open to-day.

In 1916, the collection of exhibits proceeded steadily and, it is interesting to note, were housed at first in the Commissioner's Bungalow and later moved to the North Wing of the Patna High Court. Most interesting perhaps amongst these early exhibits was the handsome Persepolitan-like capital which had been found at Bulandibagh, Patna, and therefore gave early promise of potential buried wealth in that vicinity, a promise which subsequent excavations have redeemed.

In April, 1917, the Patna Museum was formally established by Sir Edward Gait, who had succeeded Sir Charles Bayley as Lieutenant-Governor; and that distinguished ethnologist and anthropologist Rai Bahadur Sarat Chandra Roy-still a member of our Committee-was appointed as the Museum's first Curator. A Managing Committee of five members, with Mr. Walsh, C.S.I., as President, was also constituted by Government Resolution. This Committee, with varying personnel, has ever since functioned-all its members, with the exception of the Curator and Rai Bahadur Sarat Chandra Roy, being honorary workers.

In 1918, the late Professor J. N. Samaddar succeeded to the Curatorship and was in tura succeeded by Rai Sahib Manoranjan Ghosh, the present Curator, who was trained in the Archæological Department of the Government of India under Sir John Marshall. He is thus qualified to undertake and has in fact successfully undertaken excavation work apart from his multifarious duties as the responsible executive officer of the Museum. For his good work the title of Rai Sahib was conferred on him in 1924. An Epigraphist, a Modeller and a Chemical Assistant were added to

the staff. The Chemical Assistant also acts as an Assistant Curator during the absences on deputation of the Rai Sahib. That year too saw the acquisition of what is, perhaps, to quote Dr. Spooner, our "chiefest treasure", the life-size sculpture found at Didarganj (Patna) on the banks of the Ganges, of a lady Chauri bearer of the Mauryan period, described by Mr. Jayaswal in the Research Society's Magazine as the only authentic female figure of that period and as a sculpture of which any Museum may justly be proud. Your Excellency will be requested to accept from the Managing Committee a miniature model of this our prize piece as a memento of to-day's function. The model has been prepared by our capable Modeller, Babu Shyamapada Misra, examples of whose work will be found in our galleries.

In 1919, Mr. Hugh McPherson, c.s.I., as he then was, followed Mr. Walsh as President. The Geological Section was arranged on a scientific basis by Mr. C. S. Fox of the Geological Survey; and the collection of antiquities was enriched by sculptures presented by the Mahant of Bodh-Gaya, and by the Belwa antiquities of the early and medieval periods, presented by the Maharaja Bahadur of Hathwa. A generous donation of Rs. 6,000 from the Ruling Chief of Sonpur enabled the Committee to provide the sadly needed show-cases for our growing exhibits, which now included the Basarh antiquities of the 3rd Century B.C. to the 5th Century A.D., excavated by Dr. Spooner and given to us on loan by the Government of India. It may be of interest to note that Basarh in the Muzaffarpur District is the ancient Vaisali, the Capital of the Republic of the Vajjis or Lichchhavis and the birthplace of the founder of Jainism.

In 1920, Mr. Morshead succeeded to the Presidentship and was in turn succeeded by the late Sir John Bucknill, during whose régime I joined the Committee.

The following year gave us a wind-fall in the shape of the Pataliputra antiquities, excavated some time previously by Dr. Spooner, from funds generously provided by the late Sir