Royal Institution. 



For the provision to be made for the future expenses of 

 the collection and office 'of assay, the managers look 

 •with confidence to the public for sufficient assistance, in 

 ease the measure shall appear, upon investigation, to be de- 

 serving of it. 



With respect to the subscription for the collection, it is 

 proposed to open it, not only to the proprietors and sub* 

 scrioers of the Institution, but to the members of the dif- 

 ferent mineral companies and others in this kingdom, and 

 also to the members of those learned bodies which do so 

 much honour, and render such essential service, to this 

 country ; and particularly to the fellows of the Royal So- 

 ciety, of the Society of Antiquaries, of the Society for the 

 Uncouragement of Arts, &c, and of the Linnean Society; 

 to the trustees of the British Museum, to the members of 

 the Board of Agriculture, and of the British Mineralogicaj 

 and London Chemical Societies, 



It is also proposed,, that the patrons of the collection 

 frhall, with the sanction of the .managers, have the power to 

 ionn any arrangement with the trustees of the British Miw 

 scum or others, whenever it shall appear that it may tend to 

 the advantage of their respective collections of minerals. 



Upon an attentive view of the subject, the managers and 

 visitors discover great advantages which may result from 

 the execution of this measure, on a scale worthy of the 

 British empire; which has, from the most remote antiquity, 

 he.cn peculiarly distinguished for mineral productions. To 

 the British Islands, and to the lesser territories which form 

 their immediate appendages, the benefit of the proposed 

 collection and office of assay will be highly important. But 

 in the immense territory which now forms our East India 

 possessions, are to be found the most valuable mineral trea* 

 sures that are known in this globe ; and from the wisdom 

 and liberality of the East India Company, great and effec- 

 tual assistance may be hoped for in aid Of the execution of 

 a plan, by 'the adoption of which the intrinsic value of those 

 treasures may be ascertained and brought into use. 



The proprietors and subscribers may be assured, that the 

 managers and visitors will never consider their labours as 

 finished, while there remains any effort to be made for the 

 .diffusion and useful application of practical science in this 

 country. They would indeed have deemed themselves ex- 

 tremely culpable, if there had been any neglect or dclav on 

 their part, in submitting to the consideration of their mem- 

 bers, and of the public, a plan which promises essentially 

 to promote the prosperity of the Royal Institution, and at 



tfio 



