1878.] Conservation of Sanshr it Literature, 83 



Eajputana. 



The Governor- General's Agent at Eajputana has not reported what 



From Foreign Department No. 1079 G, Pi'^S^ess had been made in acquiring 



dated 22nd May 1876, forwarding for Sanscrit manuscripts in the Native 



consideration a letter W the Governor- g^^^^g ^^^^^, j^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ £ 



General s Agent at liajputana. _ ■•■ 



1875. He simply submitted copy 



of a memorandum hy Dr. G. Biihler, Educational Inspector in the Bombay 

 Presidency, on the catalogue of Sanscrit manuscripts in the library of the 

 Maharajah of Bikaneer, compiled by Hurrish Chunder Shastri, which had 

 been bought for Es. 1,000. 



The Governor- General's Agent stated that the materials collected by 

 the Shastri might be sent to Calcutta, where a competent person could be 

 found to abstract and arrange them under supervision. He suggested that 

 Mr. C. Tawney might be willing to receive charge of the documents and to 

 direct their arrangement. 



Dr. Biihler stated that he had examined both the library and the 

 Shastri' s work, and expressed his opinion that the latter might be used as 

 a basis for a really useful catalogue fit for publication. He observed that 

 the library of the Maharajah contained in all about 1,400 manuscripts. 

 Hurrish Chunder had prepared a large voluminous compilation giving a 

 catalogue with abstract of contents of 1,200 works. He added that to 

 print this compilation would be very expensive and nearly useless. He 

 suggested that a short abstract of it be made in which the books should be 

 arranged under each Shastra in alphabetical order. The Shastri was pre- 

 vented by death from preparing abstracts of the remaining 200 works. 



The Government of Bengal was asked whether they could recommend 

 any one else who would undertake to bring out the work within a reason- 

 able time and on what terms, it being understood that Mr. Tawney was 

 then in Europe. 



On 17th August 1876, the Government of Bengal replied that either 

 Dr. Eajendralala Mitra or the Eeverend Dr. K. M. Banerjea might be 

 relied on as being competent to perform the work in a thoroughly efficient 

 manner. Dr. Eajendralala Mitra roughly estimated the cost of bringing 

 out the catalogue at about Es. 5,000. Dr. K. M. Banerjea observed that 

 he could not himself give an opinion as to the amount of remuneration till 

 he saw the materials he had to deal with. 



The Governor-General in Council has been pleased to entrust the 

 work to Dr. Eajendralala Mitra. 



Dr. Biihler, it appears, was engaged in exploring Sanscrit manuscripts 

 in Jeypur and Ujjain. The Governor-General's Agent does not report the 

 result of the investigations carried on by Dr. Biihler in those places. 



No report has yet been received from the Punjab. 



