916 Asiatic Society. [No. 142. 



Fifthly. — Its undoubted connection with all the singular phenomena of the up- 

 heavements going on upon the Island of Cheduba, as by Captain Halstead's report, 

 and the rich field which the adjoining coasts and islands probably afford for valuable 

 geological data, as to the former changes which have taken place both there and 

 further to the Northward and inland to the Eastward. 



Sixthly. — The foregoing considerations are geological ones. The presence of the 

 rich copper ore makes it perhaps a matter of financial importance to Government to 

 trace out if possible whence this is derived. It may be a mere ejection from the 

 volcanos, as is supposed to occur in Iceland, or it may be that some of the islands or 

 shoals are masses of copper ore, or that rich deposits of copper exist on the mainland 

 or on the banks of the Aeng river; and I should mention in reference to this, that, 

 as shewn to the Society at a recent meeting in the case of silver ores, rich ores of 

 copper (the grey, black, and tile copper ores) might easily be thought common 

 stones by those unaccustomed to recognise them. 



There are, in short, all the possibilities from zero upwards, in such matters ; and it is 

 rare indeed that the opportunity occurs of tracing out on the same spot at one and 

 the same time two questions, the one of abstract and the other of practical science. 



Lastly. — I need not remark, that in researches of this kind, mere zeal without 

 knowledge is a very insufficient qualification, and that it would be most unfortunate 

 were the Society not to represent to Government in the strongest terms, that the 

 most fully qualified person that can be found should be selected, and this plainly on 

 financial as well as on scientific grounds. 



If Members of the Committee of Papers will kindly add such farther suggestions 

 as may occur to them, we shall be able thereupon to draft a letter to Government, 

 setting forth the Society's views on this question, and respectfully soliciting its adop- 

 tion of them. H. PlDDINGTON, 

 15th September, 184)3. Curator Mineralogical and Geological Departments. 



Memorandum by the Secretary. 



I have to submit to the Hon'blethe President and the Committee of Papers, a note 

 prepared by the Curator of the Museum of Economic Geology, upon the proposed 

 recommendation to Government, that a properly qualified person be sent to report 

 upon the peculiar geological phenomena, which have been recently observed in the 

 neighbourhood of Chedooba Island, as also upon a discovery of copper ore in the 

 immediate vicinity of the volcanic influence. 



The opinion of the Society has been recorded as to the high expediency of such a 

 measure, and it now only remains to be decided, whether Government should be 

 addressed as being requested to despatch a proper person, or whether the Society 

 should not rather propose to select and despatch such a person, superintending, 

 controlling, and directing his operations, the general charge being defrayed at the 

 public cost. 



I should be prepared in the event of the latter proposition being entertained, to lay 

 before the Hon'ble the President, the names of qualified persons, from whom an em- 



