1873.] Presidents Address. 45 



these facts before him, this statement should have been allowed to go to 

 the public. This so-called endowment, gentlemen, is the interest on a few 

 thousand rupees which the Society itself has invested in the funds of the 

 country, the result chiefly of accumulated entrance fees of its members. 

 It is just as clearly a part of the ordinary income of the Society as is the 

 subscription which I, as an ordinary member, am called upon to pay annually, 

 and can be dealt with by the Council in exactly the same way. It would 

 indeed be well for the Society if it had an endowment even of small 

 limits. And we shall feel indebted to the author of the tables or any 

 one else, if he will establish such an endowment. But when such does 

 not exist, the statement of it is likely to lead to serious misapprehension 

 of the position of the Society. 



We rest, therefore, in the perfect confidence that the just and un- 

 doubted claim of the Society for remuneration for the heavy damages in- 

 flicted on the Society by the continued occupation of their premises and 

 the consecment depreciation of their property, — in addition to the injury done 

 by keeping the Societ}' in a position in which it can hope for few addi- 

 tions to its numbers, and can offer but little advantages to its working 

 members, — that this claim will be acknowledged without further demand, and 

 that the Society will be freed from the heavy incubus under which it now 

 rests.* 



During the year, the Society has lost by death eight ordinary, one hono- 

 rary and one corresponding member. Among these were some distinguished 

 in the ranks of science, and long supporters of our Society. 



The year had scarcely opened, when we were, in common with every 

 well-wisher of the country, stunned by the fearfully sudden and awful death 

 of the Viceroy, our Patron. It was not within the scope of the Asiatic 

 Society's objects to discuss the many political questions which had more 

 immediately engaged Lord Mayo's attention, but we could not fail to ap- 

 preciate the earnest and thorough heartiness of Earl Mayo's character, or 

 to feel profound regret at his being cut off in the very height of a success- 

 ful career by the hands of an assassin. 



Lord Northbrook, his successor, has been pleased to accept the office 

 of Patron of the Society, left vacant by Lord Mayo's death. 



* It is with the sincerest pleasure, that I am able to stop the printing off of 

 these pages, and announce that the Government of India have, after careful consi- 

 deration, acceded in full to the claims of the Society. This is peculiarly gratifying, 

 to the Council of the Society, who have found themselves in the painful position of 

 apparent opposition to the Government of the country, while, after the calmest and 

 most unpi*ejudiced consideration they could give to the subject, they found their 

 convictions of the justice of their claims so strong that they were unable to retreat one 

 single step. They feel, therefore, most thankful that any further difference of opinion 

 has been thus removed. 



