94 Report. [Jan. 



to preserve existing collections than to incur any avoidable expenses in 

 making additions to our Museums, — and that under no circumstances, 

 short of a general vote of the Society, can the scale of " Contingencies" 

 assigned by Government be exceeded in their departments. 



Under this head it seems necessary to observe that the European tem- 

 porarily engaged since November, 1846, as anight watch in the Society's 

 house, at 40 Rs. per mensem, has been discharged from the 5thinst. 

 The native chokedars are retained ; the Committee are of opinion that 

 when the Society's funds permit the outlay it will be indispensable 

 to have a European keeper or porter resident in the premises. Such a 

 man can be obtained on the guarantee of the Police Authorities for 40 

 rupees a month. It should be a part of his duty to accompany visitors 

 through the rooms, and he should be entrusted with the special charge 

 of such coins or other moveable articles of particular value as the Society 

 may possess. Had such a person been employed for the last three 

 years, it is not probable that we now should have to deplore the loss 

 of the fine collection of coins and the gold medal of the Emperor of 

 Russia of which we have been lately despoiled.* 

 Publications. 



"We have next to notice the important subject of the Society's Pub- 

 lications, of which the Journal has first to be considered. 



The Committee of Papers are unanimously of opinion that on the 

 maintenance of the Journal, the regularity of its appearance, and the 

 judicious selection of its contents, depend chiefly the usefulness and 

 the reputation of the Society. Recent changes among the officers have 

 interfered with its regular appearance, but measures are now complete 

 for its issue in the 1st week of each month. The Committee append 

 a list of the papers now in hand for their periodical, and the varied 

 nature of these contributions and the known ability of the authors, 

 hold out most gratifying prospects of this department of the Society's 

 labours proving creditable to themselves and beneficial to the public. 



The monthly reports of Proceeding having been printed up to the 

 close of 1846, but not issued since March, the Committee of Papers 

 propose to distribute the whole at once this month, as a supplement to 



* The members of the Committee of Papers have since this Report was drawn up 

 retained at their own cost a retired European Sergeant strongly recommended to 

 them by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, and who now resides on the premises. 



