232 Asiatic Society. [April, 



XIV. — Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 



Wednesday Evening, the 6th May, 1835. 



. 



Captain M. G. White, Senior Assistant Commissary, Arracan, proposed 

 at the last Meeting, was duly elected a member of the Society. 



Professor Lea and Dr. R. Harlan, of Philadelphia, proposed as honor- 

 ary members at the last Meeting, were upon the favorable report of the 

 Committee of Papers, balloted for and duly elected. 



Read the following report of the Committee appointed, at the last meet- 

 ing of the Society, to consult with the Baron Hxjgel on the expediency 

 and on the best means of procuring from Europe a competent Curator for 

 the Museum. 



''Although tie measure of sending to Europe for a qualified curator would 

 ensure the establishment of a museum in Calcutta, upon a footing such as has not 

 hitherto been known here, and perhaps on a par with those in more favorable 

 climates ; and although the unexplored and extensive field around us promises an 

 ample store of novelties, such as would render our museum in time an object of 

 attention to naturalists both here and at home, still it cannot be concealed that 

 there are several points of view under which the scheme of procuring a curator 

 from Europe does not appear the most favorable for the end to be accomplished. 



" The Baron Hugel has favored the Committee with his opinion, that a compe- 

 tent naturalist, that is, a person acquainted with the branches of Zoology, might 

 be induced to accept the situation on a salary of 200 rupees a month. By making 

 this sum payable from the day of his embarkation from Europe, a separate allow- 

 ance for passage money and outfit might perhaps be obviated, and a similar pro- 

 vision might be made in case of his return home : The Baron's recommendations 

 through his friends at Vienna or Paris, would also be a guarantee that the person 

 selected should meet the Society's expectations, and faithfully perform the duties 

 assigned to bim, -while health should last: but he must necessarily incur much 

 expence on his leaving his own country ; he would here be altogether dependent 

 on the Society in case of sickness, or he might become a burden, were he to 

 prove inadequate to perform his duty. It could not be expected that the same in- 

 dividual should be a mineralogist or a geologist : these branches therefore (and 

 they are important to us,) would still be deficient. Again, though he might learn 

 a little English on his way out, he would hardly be able to write descriptions, 

 for publication, of the new objects of Natural History, which might fall under 

 his notice. 



" These considerations have led your Committee to listen favorably to a modifi- 

 cation of the original plan, which offers the opportunity of providing a curator 

 on the spot. 



" Dr. Pearson, your late honorary curator, in resigning this situation a short 

 time since, stated that he had found it impossible to do much hitherto for the 

 museum, while acting gratuitously: his distance from the premises : his attention 

 to his own collection, naturally interfered to pievent his attention being given to a 

 secondary object. These difficulties would however be in a great measure removed 

 were he to receive such allowance as the Society might determine to devote to the 

 purpose of creating and maintaining a museum : indeed he would be willing to 

 accept the office at 150 rupees per month, which would be a positive saving of 

 50 to the Society, a material consideration in the actual state of its finances : 

 This sum would enable him to take a house near the spot, or to procure the means 

 of conveyance till he could get one suitable : it would purchase as it were his 

 exclusive services : for it he would consent to relinquish the further prosecution 

 of his own private collection, and to devote his whole leisure to the Society's 

 museum. On the other hand, being in the Company's Medical Service, be could 

 at no time become a burthen to the Society, which would be at liberty to annul 

 its engagement with him at any time, should a fair trial prove that the object of 

 forming a creditable museum was not attained, or was no longer desirable. 



