330 Museum of Economic Geology . [No. 124. 



man as a chemist and man of general science, are well known to the 

 Governor of Bengal, but his attainments in the branches of Geology and 

 Mineralogy, and the attention he has given to these sciences in their 

 special application to India, may not have been antecedently represent- 

 ed to his Lordship. He is regarded by the members of the Committee, 

 and by the Society for which they are acting, as eminently qualified to 

 undertake the particular duties and charge to which their attention has 

 been thus directed. 



6. — Circumstances at the present juncture enable this gentleman 

 to give to the Society a large portion of his valuable time, but render it 

 impossible, that they should be accepted without remuneration. On 

 the part of the President and Committee of Papers of the Society there- 

 fore, I am directed to request you will submit to his Lordship, that if 

 importance be attached to prosecuting researches in (Economic Geology, 

 and to the careful examination and arrangement of specimens and 

 objects connected with this science, they see no means of satisfying the 

 wishes of the Government and of the Court of Directors, except by 

 securing the services of Mr. Piddington, on a separate salary equal to 

 that now assigned to the Curator ; viz. 250 Rupees per mensem. We 

 cannot hope that Mr. Piddington will engage permanently, or for any 

 given period on these terms, but we doubt not that his exertions for the 

 time of his devoting himself to this branch of our Museum, will place 

 the department on such a footing, as will much facilitate its being after- 

 wards carried on by less competent persons ; and in this manner, a basis 

 will be laid for a Museum of infinite value to science and to the public 

 service. 



7. — Mr. Piddington's services, if engaged, will be of infinite use to 

 the Society in other branches also, for he is versed in Numismatology, 

 and proficient in all the knowledge required for the discrimination and 

 arrangement of scientific objects. The Committee would propose for 

 him the title, " Joint Curator," giving to his special charge, as well 

 the Geological as any other parts of the Museum, that we might consi- 

 der him specially qualified to arrange and report upon. 



I have &c. for the Committee, 

 (Signed) H. Torrens, 

 Secretary to the Asiatic Society. 



Asiatic Society's Rooms, Calcutta, the 27th Jan. 1842. 



