62 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [No. 1 



A letter from Br. G-. Gordon, intimating his desire to withdraw 

 from the Society, was recorded. 



The following gentlemen, duly proposed at the last meeting were 

 balloted for and elected ordinary members : — 



Dr. J. MeLelland ; W. P. Duff, Esq. ; Dr. Ferd. Stoliczka • R, T. 

 Martin, Esq. ; Major J„ Gr. G-owan ; Baboo Modhoosoodnn Doss, and 

 H. D. Sandeman, Esq. 



The following gentlemen were named for ballot as ordinary members 

 at the next meeting : — 



The Rev. M. D. C. Walters, Chaplain of Calcutta, proposed by Mr. 

 Cowell and seconded by Mr. G-rote. 



A. G. Walker, Esq., proposed by Major Layard and seconded by 

 Colonel G-astrell. 



T. Dickens, Esq., Barrister- at-law, proposed by Mr. Blanford and 

 seconded by Mr. H. C. Sutherland. 



J. Forsyth, Esq., Bengal Staff Corps, proposed by Mr. R. A. 

 Sterndale and seconded by Mr. Blanford. 



The Rev. Mr. Corbyn introduced some aborigines of the Andaman 

 Islands, and gave an interesting account of these people, with a short 

 narrative of the circumstances which have led to the establishment of 

 a friendly feeling between them and the settlers. 



Thanks were unanimously voted to Mr, Corbyn for his interesting 

 account of the Aborigines of the Andaman Islands. 



After a few preliminary remarks on the ethnology of the Anda- 

 manese, Mr. Blanford stated that he was doubtful whether the inter- 

 course opened will tend eventually to the civilization of the natives 

 of the Andamans. He stated that the history of the New Zealanders 

 and other barbarous people in Australia and America sufficiently war- 

 rants us to assume the broad fact that when two different races in 

 very different states of civilization come in contact with one another, 

 the more powerful race exterminates the less powerful, and that civili- 

 zation, to be permanent, must be attained by gradual steps and mainly 

 be developed from within, foreign influence being but a secondary 

 agent. 



Mr. Cowell could not concur in the opinion of Mr. Blanford ; on 

 the contrary he believed that history generally bears out the fact 

 that nations cannot rise in civilization without an influence ab extra. 

 He quoted some instances from ancient history in support of this view. 



SSj 



