Ixvi Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [July, 1844. 



pore, with remarks on the country traversed, the nature and capabilities of the road, 

 and the effect its opening will have upon different channels of commerce. 



I have the honor to be, Sir, 



Your most obedient servant, 



E. Currie, 

 Fort William, Secretary to the Government of India, 



the 2 ( M June, 1844. 



Read the following Draft of a Letter to be addressed to Government, soli- 

 citing its support for M. Callery's translation of the Great Encyclopedic 

 Dictionary of Kang-Hi: — 



To T. R. Davidson, Esq. Officiating Secretary to Government of India, Home 



Department. 



Sir, — I am directed by the Honorable the President of the Asiatic Society to re* 

 quest, that you will convey to the Right Honorable the Governor General and Council, 

 the earnest recommendation of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, in favor of the Rev. 

 Pere Callery of Macao, now engaged in a translation of the great Chinese Encyclo- 

 pedic Dictionary of Kang-Hi. 



2. An Extract from the Proceedings of the Society of the 6th December 1843, 

 is entered marginally respecting the undertaking of this great work, and the support 

 which the Society has itself endeavoured to afford to its able and energetic projector. 

 I have also to request, that you will lay before the Right Honorable the Governor 

 General, the accompanying Prospectus of the work, together with a specimen of 

 the Typographical execution of, more particularly, the Chinese characters occur- 

 ring in it. The Prospectus is published, it will be observed, in English as well as 

 French. 



3. Circumstances have occurred, occasioning a casual delay in making this recom- 

 mendation ; but the Society does not regret this, as the progress of events in China 

 since it took up the intention of addressing Government in behalf of Mons. Callery, 

 has more and more tended to prove the great and all-important advantages to be de- 

 rived in the intercourse of Englishmen with the Chinese, from a critical knowledge of 

 the niceties of their language, and an intimate acquaintance with their habits, customs 

 and modes of thought. 



4. The Society is of opinion, that the creation of a comprehensive book of reference, 

 bearing upon the above heads, would be the truest and best mode of placing such ad- 

 vantages within the reach of Europeans, whom the course of business, or the spirit of 

 enterprise, may lead to the shores of China; and it is by a correct and ample abstract 

 translation of the great Chinese Encyclopedia, that the Society think such a book of 

 reference may be best obtained. 



5. It would be a source of infinite gratification to the Society, were it permitted to 

 inform Mons. Callery, that the patronage and support of the Government of British 

 India had been accorded to him ; and should the Right Honorable the Governor 



