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No. LV. 



A Letter from Captain William Jones, of Philadelphia, to the Pre- 

 sident of the Society, communicating sundry queries proposed by 

 him to William Jones Esquire, Civil Engineer of Calcutta, rela- 

 tive to the principles and practice of building in India, with his 

 answers to the same. 



Read June 17th, 1808. 



Philadelphia, June llth, 180S, 



Dear Sir, 



WHEN in Calcutta, *I had the pleasure to become ac- 

 quainted with Mr. William Jones, whose profession is that of 

 a civil engineer, and who at the time was employed in con- 

 structing a dry dock of great capacity, calculated to receive, a 

 man of war when the water of the Ganges was at the lowest. 



He is distinguished as a man of genius, of much philosophi- 

 cal knowledge, and of great practical experience in all the 

 branches connected with his profession. He regretted that the 

 urgency of his pursuits precluded him from rendering his re- 

 marks more perfect and comprehensive than the papers here- 

 with enclosed ; and proffered a correspondence with me on any 

 subject which I might deem interesting. 



Should the Society desire information, from that quarter, on 

 any subject of philosophy, natural history, or the mechanic 

 arts, I will cheerfully avail myself of his kind offer. . 



You will perceive that Mr. Jones has said nothing relative 

 to public roads — he did not consider the manner of construct- 

 ing them in that country as applicable to this. 



I know not whether there is any thing in the communication 

 I have to make, that will be new or interesting to the Society; 

 if not, I trust the desire to be useful will constitute my claim 

 to indulgence. 



T am*, very respectfully, yours, 



WILLIAM JONES. 

 d d 



*&" 



