960 Asiatic Society. [Nov. 



collections in order. It would however be an unprofitable waste of money to attempt 

 the preservation of many of the objects of natural history in the climate of Ben- 

 gal, and these when considered valuable should be transmitted to our Museum. 



87. We do not object to the retrospective effect given to the appropriation of 

 500 rupees a month for the publication of oriental books, under the circumstances 

 stated ; and we take this opportunity of intimating our wish, that as soon as the 

 work in hand shall have been completed, arrangements should be adopted for applying 

 the grant to the printing of the text of the Vedas, with a commentary, as the oldest and 

 most authentic record of the language and religion of the Hindus, and therefore 

 indispensable to the history of opinion and of man. 



(True Extract) H. T. PRINSEP, 



Secretary to the Government of India. 



Minute by Sir Edward Ryan. 

 It appears from the copy of the dispatch of the Court of Directors, communicated 

 to the Society by the direction of Government, that 200 or 250 rupees are to be allowed 

 monthly to the Society for the salary of a qualified person to preserve its collections, 

 and arrange them in a scientific and systematic manner, and an additional 50 rupees 

 a month for the cost of preparing specimens, and maintaining the collections in order. 

 I think it is desirable that the Society should state the time they will require any 

 Curator they may appoint to devote to his charge, and the periods at which he should 

 report to the Society upon the state and condition of their Museum. I think upon 

 the fixed salary that will now be devoted to the person, that the Society might reasonably 

 expect two or three hours in each day shall be devoted to the Museum — that reports 

 should be made at each monthly Meeting — and the office of Curator should be held, 

 like most of the offices of the Societies, for the year only ; that is, subject to annual re- 

 election. If the Society approves of the conditions there named, I would further propose, 

 that the office of Curator be offered, in the first instance, to Dr. M'Clelland, who has 

 so kindly, for some time past, discharged the duties of Curator without salary. If he 

 will accept, the office, I am sure the Society will be happy to avail itself of his most 

 valuable services. I beg our Secretary to circulate with Mr. Secretary Prinsep's letter 



and enclosure this memorandum. 



EDWARD RYAN. 

 January 2bth 1840. 



Circular from officiating Secretary, to the Committee of Papers, Asiatic Society. 



Gentlemen, 



I beg leave to circulate an important dispatch from the Honorable the Court 

 of Directors, regarding our Museum, and directing a salary of 250 rupees per mensem 

 to be paid to the Curator. I also circulate a Minute on the subject by our President. 



I take the liberty of expi'essing my concurrence in the opinions of the President, and 

 at the same time my hope, that Dr. M'Clelland may be enabled to command 

 sufficient leisure for the duties of the office. It is quite impossible at present to find 

 a competent and available individual to fill Dr. M'Clelland's place. The accom- 

 plished officers who have recently entered the service (I allude chiefly to Drs. Walker, 

 Jameson, and Cantor) are too eagerly sought for by the Government for scientific 

 missionary duties to justify our indulging the least hope of their being soon placed in 

 Calcutta. v 



