— 345 — 



and bringing it to the notice of His Excellency. The 

 Members present seconded the suggestion. 



The moment is the more favourable, because another 

 Member, Mr de Closets has assured himself of the cost 

 of the Iron Building of which he presented a plan at our 

 last annual meeting, and which was intended to serve 

 for a Museum or for our Exhibitions. The building, 290 

 feet long by 210 broad, would cover an area of 12,500 

 square feet and could cost £8,700 or 43,500 drs. Six 

 months would be required to complete it. 



We may be allowed to hope that such a suggestion 

 will not pass iinheedfd. 



Buildings and public works in general are carried 

 out so slowly in Mauritius, that the opportunity would 

 be favorable of talcing into consideration Mr de Clo- 

 sets' communication, if Government wished to follow 

 the idea of erecting a Museum and Library at Mauri- 

 tius, and if the proposition made by the Honorable Mr 

 Dupont and apjiroved by the Society is carried out. 



In less than two years the jaojected building might 

 be erected on the site pointed out by His Excellency, 

 viz. : the back of Government House, the front facing 

 the street which leads to the Champ-de-Mars, rails 

 would be put up on the whole length of the frontage 

 where the entiance gate would be placed. 



The erection of such a building whilst it would be 

 an ornament to the town, would also possess intellec- 

 tual merit. There is in Europe no town containing a 

 considerable population, whicli does not possess a Li- 

 brary, and often, a Museum. Why should Mauritius 

 now so important by her commerce, her agriculture, 

 her wealth and her population represented by men of 

 great intelligence and governed by an enlightened 

 chief, not do what lier position and the condition in 

 which she is placed imperiously demand? 



We humbly submit the question to Your Excellen- 

 cy's benevolent consideration, persuaded that you will 

 give it the fullest attention if it is deemed worthy of be- 

 ing followed up. 



The Society has formed a Committee of History and 

 Literature and has thus added to its program of often 

 dry itudies, the cultivation of these two branches of hu- 



