336 Asiatic Society. [No. 99. 



Major Pottinger forwarded a Meteorological table kept at Herat from the be- 

 ginning of March 1838. 



Specimens of Bactrian camels', sheep, and goats' wool, with an account of its manu- 

 facture were submitted to the Meeting. 



Resolved — That after the paper was published in the Journal, the manuscript with 

 the specimens be made over to the Agricultural Society. 



On the conclusion of the business, the Officiating Secretary apprised the Meeting, 

 that a letter was received from Dr. J. McClelland, claiming the arrears of his salary 

 as Curator, at 150 rupees, for the month of May and up to 3d July 1839, and 

 January and February of the current year, at the enhanced rate, viz. 250 rupees per 

 month, sanctioned by the Honorable the Court of Directors. The letter in question 

 was circulated to the Committee of Papers, who recommended the subject to be discus- 

 sed at the General Meeting of the Society. 



Resolved — That the Society sanction the payment of the first claim of Dr. McClel- 

 land at the rate mentioned by him, rupees 150 for May and June 1839 ; and 50 

 rupees for the two latter months, at the rate of which he first accepted the situation. It 

 was also resolved, that the Society did not draw any money from Government as 

 Curator's salary for the months of January and February of the present year, or 

 they would have made over the amount to Dr. McClelland. 



Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 



(Wednesday Evening, 1st July, 1840.^ 



The Honorable Sir E. Ryan, President, in the chair. 



The President rose and addressed the Meeting. 



Gentlemen, — I am anxious before any attempt is made to proceed with the business 

 of the evening, to address a few words to the Members present. I am sure, I am antici- 

 pated by all, when I say I am about to allude to the irreparable loss which the Society 

 has sustained in the death of its Secretary, the late Mr. James Prinsep. I shall not 

 attempt to pass a studied eulogium on this distinguished person; that will be done 

 on a future occasion, by those who are infinitely better qualified to do justice to his 

 merits, than myself ; and that such an occasion will arrive, you must most of you have 

 been informed by the public prints ; but I cannot be altogether silent, it would be unfit- 

 ing the place, however unworthily, I hold amongst you, and it would but ill accord with 

 your sentiments and feelings. It is known to you all, that for eight years Mr. Prinsep 

 was the Secretary of this Society ; with what indefatigable zeal, with what ability he 

 conducted the duties of his office, you can indeed testify. The reputation which the 

 Society now enjoys in Eui-ope, I may with truth say, is mainly owing to his efforts. 

 Amidst the most laborious public duties, he carried on a most extensive correspondence 

 on literary and scientific subjects with Europe and Asia. He conducted the Journal 

 of the Society, which he enriched by a variety of original papers, especially by his 

 researches into the antiquities of India, in which his discoveries have attracted the 

 admiration of all who have any taste for antiquarian research, leading to results the most 

 important, and connecting, in truth, the histories of the east and west. I have prepared 

 a resolution, expressing, I hope, in more accurate language than the words I have utter- 



