156 Asiatic Society. [Feb. 



staircase (which is in substantial condition) precisely as it now stands, and the pro- 

 posed new side rooms free and entire, with the exception of having the northern part 

 of one side cut off for the purpose of adding- a small back stairs, and a retiring closet 

 attached thereto. The cost of this arrangement, including the sky light, exclusive 

 of the removal of the decayed roof, and of other repairs, is shewn in Mr. Rowe's esti- 

 mate No. 1, to be rupees 8485-10, and if interior new doors are not judged requisite 

 to the new rooms in the upper floor, this estimate will be reduced to rupees 7861-10, as 

 there exist old ones which may be applied to the lower floor. 



4 6th. The second, as represented in plan No. 2, would remove entirely the present 

 double staircase, and introduce it as a handsome single one into the curtailed new side 

 room. The very thick walls now existing in the basement on each side of the flight, of 

 stairs, as well as the colonnades over them, would in this case become quite unneces- 

 sary, and ought to be removed, so as to leave the whole of that apartment from wall to 

 wall, in the line of east and west, free, and uninterrupted both above and below. The 

 extra accommodation thus to be obtained, would be about equal with that of the first 

 proposal, and the effect produced on the general appearance of the rooms, on entering 

 from the new staircase, would certainly be more grand and imposing ; but on proceed- 

 ing to arrange all matters necessarily involved in carrying this measure into effect, 

 I find, that as shewn in Mr. Rowe's estimate No. 2, it is unavoidably more expensive 

 than the first by rupees 3178-3-6, and as the advantage is only in appearance, I fear it 

 must, as matter of course, be rejected in favor of plan No. 1. 



4 7th. Should the latter also be found too expensive to be met by the available 

 funds of the Society, the only alteration I have at present to propose, is to reduce 

 the size of the new side rooms, so as that the walls shall be in a line with the other 

 walls of the house— leaving them I believe about 26 X 18 feet, which would of course 

 diminish the charge considerably. But the Plan No. 1, if practicable, I would recom- 

 mend, as it would be the means, I think, of preventing all future patching of the build- 

 ing—it provides at once two rooms of 36 X 24 feet and two rooms of 26 X 24 feet, with a 

 suitable back stairs and closet in two floors, while it cannot be said to affect injuriously 

 the light or the ventilation of the present apartments. 



' 8th, I would further beg leave to bring to the notice of the Meeting, that the dampness 

 of the lower, or basement, floor is greatly complained of as a serious evil. I observe that 

 this defect cannot conveniently be remedied by raising and new fluing, besides which 

 that process would be attended with a heavy expenditure I would therefore recom- 

 mend that an expedient now successfully adopted, of laying the floor in a composition 

 of tar and sand, (a specimen of which maybe seen in the Society's House, executed I 

 understand about two years ago by Mr. Rowe,) be resorted to in the lower apartments, to 

 correct this evil. Its cost, as shewn, in Mr. Rowe's estimate No. 3 will be Rs. 1007. 



4 9th. It only remains to show in abstract the total expense in which the Society will 

 be involved by the adoption of plan No. 1, for extending the accommodation, in addi- 

 tion to the requisite general repairs. The following is the abstract: 



For the ordinary repairs, as per Mr. Rowe's estimate, .. Rs. 854 8 



For the new Roof to the Staircase, " 77113 



For new laying the floor of the Basement, " 1007 



For the proposed Skylight, .. " 150 



For the proposed 4 additional Rooms and all connected 

 with them, « 786110 



Grand Total of Expenditure, " 10,644 15 



' 10th In conclusion, I have to observe in reference to Mr. Rowe's estimates, that 

 the ratos nre very fair and moderate throughout. 



' I have the honor to be, Sir, 



4 Your most obedient servant, 

 'Fort William, February 6, 1839.' ' D. M'LEOD.' 



