418 Memoranda on the Museum of the Asiatic Society. [May, 



Papers ; a more efficient subordinate establishment might be provided 

 for the Museum ; the increased value and extent of the collections seem 

 to me to require more than two native servants, while the carpenters 

 might be exchanged for collectors. If native collectors, on a monthly 

 salary of 6 Rupees each be properly attended to and trained, they 

 would soon put us in possession of most of the insects, fishes, and 

 Crustacea of Bengal, and all such persons, as well as those employed 

 in the Museum, might be placed under the immediate direction of a 

 well educated youth from one of the public schools. It would be 

 necessary that such a person should be well recommended not only for 

 general acquirements, but also for his taste in Natural History; the 

 latter taste of course we could only expect to find in any youth from 

 a Calcutta Seminary, on the nonfit sed nascetur principle. 



After providing all that is necessary in the way of cabinets, collec- 

 tors, and efficient establishments for conducting the duties of the 

 Museum, if the funds of the Society should still allow of a specific sum 

 being set apart for the remuneration of a Curator so much the better, 

 although I must confess I should rather see him in circumstances that 

 would render pecuniary remuneration from his colleagues unnecessary. 

 As however it some times happens that science and fortune do not go 

 hand in hand, a nominal salary of 30 Rupees a month might be as- 

 signed to the office of Curator. It will be for the Committee of Finance 

 to determine whether after providing for the increased expenses attend- 

 ing our augmented collections, a larger sum can consistently with the 

 receipts of the Society be paid for the object in question. 



From the above remarks we may deduce the following rules, which 

 appear to embrace all that is necessary to secure the progressive ad- 

 vancement of the Museum : — 



1. The direction of the Museum to be entrusted to the Committee of 



Papers, and its duties superintended by a scientific individual 

 appointed by the Society on the nomination of the Committee. 



2. Although the office of Curator is held to be one of distinction, an 



allowance of 30 Rupees per mensem is granted by the Society, to 

 be drawn or not according as the Curator may feel inclined. 



3. That the subordinate establishments in the Museum shall consist, if 



possible, of two well educated Europeans* or Natives of India, on 

 a salary of not less than 50 and 12 Rupees per month respectively. 



4. That the number and occupation of other servants in the Museum 



shall vary according to circumstances. 



* This is not intended to interfere with the persons already employed in the Museum. 



