1862.] Proceedings oftJie Asiatic Society. 441 



Foe August, 1862. 



The Monthly General Meeting of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 

 was held on the 6th Instant. 



A. Grote, Esq., President, in the chair. 

 Presentations were received — ■ 



1. From T. S. Shaw, Esq., Mynpoorie, through Mr. E. C. Bayley 

 a Sassanian silver coin. 



2. From Dr. F. E. Hall, a copy of his work entitled " A Eational 

 Refutation of the Hindu Philosophical Systems," translated from the 

 Hindi of Pundit Nehemiah Nil Kanth Sastri Gore. 



Read letters — 



1. From the Secretary to the Government of Bengal, forwarding 

 official correspondence on certain beds of coal discovered by Major 

 Sherwill in the Govindpore subdivision of the Maunbhoom district. 



The papers shew that this coal is of inferior quality. It has been 

 analysed by Mr. Tvveen of the Geological Survey, who considers it 

 " for all purposes, except perhaps lime-burning, nearly, if not altoge- 

 ther, worthless." 



2. From the Commissioner of Mysore, forwarding several copies 

 of a table shewing the elevations of certain localities, and the height 

 of certain mountains in the Mysore territories. 



3. From the Hon'ble F. W. A. Bruce, Her Majesty's Minister at 

 Peking, the following letter addressed to the President, in reply to 

 a communication from him on the subject of the Thibetan expe- 

 dition : — 



Pelcing, Wh May, 1S62. 



Dear Sir, — I have received your letter on communication with 

 Thibet. 



I had previously addressed myself to the lamas who are at present 

 in Peking as envoys from Lhassa, a journey it has taken them three 

 years to effect. But they appear miserably and profoundly ignorant, 

 so much so that not an atom of information could be obtained from 

 them. The difficulty of holding intercourse with them is increased 

 by the necessity of employing the official interpreter attached to 

 them by the Chinese Government. 



As soon as certain questions are disposed of which at present ab- 

 sorb all the time the Prince of Hung can give me, I shall enter on 

 the subject with him, and inform the Government of India of the 



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