92 CONGRÈS SCIENTIFIQUE DE FRANCE. 
the liberty of submitting for the consideration of the learned for solu-— 
tion, various questions which were originally proposed by the editors 
of the MERCURIO PERUANO» (Peruvian Mercury) in the 40% vol. of 
that publication in the year 1794, to the scientific world at that period. 
These propositions , howerer, remained unanswered , in consequence 
of the opposition uniformly made by the Spanish government to every 
investigation and discussion relative to the system of administration 
adopted by the INCAS. 
« The cause which prevented the impartial examination of the ancient 
history of the aforesaid country being now happily removed, and the 
litterati of Europe at length in possession of every necessary particu— 
lar to form a critical judgment of the civil, political, militar y and eco- 
nomic institutions of Peru as they formerlyÿ existed, it appears tome 
that an important service would be rendered to science in general, as 
well as to the Peruvians in particular, by attending to the following 
subjects deducible from the authentic annals of Peru. 
«45t. The legislation of the INcAS compared with the principles of the 
Laws of nature and of nations, as well as with the Roman Civil Law, 
the spirit of which is observed in the Hispano-Peruvian Code; and for 
what reason ? 
«2. The agriculture and hydraulies of the INCAS; on what system 
founded implements adopted etc. ; with comparative and impartial con- 
siderations between their practice and that now in vigour? 
«3. Mining system of the INCAS, compared with that now in use. 
«4. Fortification of the Incas: on what rules based, and how appli- 
cable to their modeofwarfare ? The description of the fortresses ofCuzco, 
CANETE, NICARI, and others will serve to explain this particular point. 
«5. Civil architecture: mode of building cities, and means employed 
to raise weights of magnitude : the interior distributions of their tem- 
ples , palaces and houses? This subject may be illustrated likewise by 
the description of the ruined town of PACHACAMAC, and forming an 
estimate as to the number of its former inhabitants. 
«6. Dissertation on the existence and condition of the two celebrated 
causeways of the Incas, and observations on their bridges : thence sol- 
ving the prohlem, whether our modern roads and bridges are superior 
or inferior to their’s ? 
«7. Mineralogy : what metals they were acquainted with ; their use, 
and in what manner worked ? 
«8. Porcelain:* their jars, vases, and other earthenware articles , 
which are, even now, frequently excavated from tombs ; how formed ? 
«9. Method of spinning and weaving , as well as the dresses used by 
the Incas ? 
«10. The practice of medicine amongst the INCAS, compared with 
that of the earliest nations on record? 
«41. Astronomy, and mode of computing time ? 
«42. Investigation into the causes of the entire absenceof rain at Lima. 
«13. Examination and analysis of the Peruvian language. 
