1060 Asiatic Society. [No. 106. 



To Dr. F. Tamnau, Jun. 



Berlin, Prussia. 

 Care of Messrs. Tamnau & Co. Hamburgh. 



Sir, As. Soc. Rooms, 3rd February, J 841. 



I am directed by the Asiatic Society of Bengal, to acknowledge the receipt of your 

 letter under date 8th November 1840, and to express to you on the part of that Body, 

 the lively feeling of satisfaction with which it finds itself in communication with 

 you, particularly under circumstances which promise so much advantage to the 

 Society, and prove in a most gratifying manner, the flattering consideration with which 

 you regard it. 



The exchange you propose is one which the Society would for itself gladly close 

 with, but there are reasons which induce it to pause before concluding an arrangement, 

 the terms of which are unexceptionable. 



The Museum of the Society in the department of Mineralogy and Geology, has been 

 from causes which it would be impossible now to enter upon, deprived of the ad- 

 vantages of systematic arrangement, so necessary, or rather so indispensable to its 

 utility. Rich in specimens, it has been most unfortunately deficient in the means 

 of arranging them, while difficulties of other kinds have interfered with the facility 

 of classification to such a degree, as to leave the Society in doubt even as to the real 

 extent and value of several of the collections it possesses. 



Under these circumstances, I am desired to inform you, that the Society would rather 

 propose to commence the interchange of specimens, than suffer you to do so; lest 

 it should so happen, that the value of what it would be in a position to offer, should 

 be incommensurate with that of the collection which you might forward. 



I shall take occasion to address you again on this subject, as the gradual arrange- 

 ment of the Museum proceeds, begging in the mean time to inform you, that the 

 list you have furnished will be carefully borne in mind, and specimens, if available, 

 put aside for transmission to you through Messrs. Allen and Co., Booksellers, Leaden- 

 hall Street, London; to whom all communications to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 

 may be at all times addressed. 



Be assured. Sir, of the sentiments of respect, and esteem with which 



I have, &c. 



H. TORRENS. 



Read a letter from Capt. T. S. Burt, forwarding Copy of an inscription from the 

 neighbourhood of Mount Aboo, and detailing the result of his researches there, and 

 elsewhere in Rajpootana. 



Read communications from Capt. Hutton, regarding his late visit to Killa Bheest, 

 near Khelat, in search of inscriptions. 



Read a paper from Lieut. Baird Smith, on the practical properties of the Galvanic 

 Battery. 



Read a paper from Dr. Jameison, regarding some interesting Geological discoveries. 



The Secretary informed the Meeting that the communications from Capts, Burt 

 and Hutton, Lieut. Baird Smith and Dr. Jameison, would be published in early 

 numbers of the Journal. 



