286 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [ Dec, 
APPENDIX. 
CoRRESPONDENCE RELATIVE To DrEeP Sra Drepaorine. 
Calcutta, 14th June, 1871. 
From ¥. Srouiczxa, Pu. D., Hony. Secretary, As. Soc. of Bengal, 
To HR. O. Baytuy, Ese., CO. 8. 1, Secretary to the Government of In- 
dia, Home Department. 
Sir,—I am instructed by the President and Council of the Asia- 
tic Society of Bengal, to solicit the favorable consideration of His 
Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General in Council to a sub- 
ject which appears to the Council of the Society one of the very 
highest importance, namely, the desirability of undertaking deep 
sea dredgings in Indian waters. 
The Council believe they can best bring the matter before His 
Excellency in Council by submitting a copy of a Memorandum, 
drawn up at the suggestion of the Natural History Committee and, 
after full discussion by the Committee, accepted by the Council of 
the Society. 
It cannot, the Council believe, be questioned that results are to 
be expected from deep sea dredgings of the highest importance for 
the progress of both biological and physical science. It is a well 
known fact, that in former periods of our planet there prevailed a 
much more uniform distribution of temperature, and of animal and 
vegetable life, In the kainozoic epoch the climate in Europe was 
somewhat similar to that of our present Indian and Australian 
waters, and many of the then inhabitants of the seas shew great 
affinities to those now found living in Indian seas. In order to 
trace the connection of these faunas, dredging in Indian waters 
would undoubtedly supply most valuable materials. 
Again, as yet there have been no systematic observations made 
regarding the laws regulating the temperature of water in Indian 
seas, the various currents, the physical character of sea bottom, &e, 
Valuable results may, therefore, be justly expected for the progress 
of hydrography, and collaterally for the benefit of navigation; and 
