1857.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society, 69 



and efficient Index to the last two volumes of the Researches, and 

 the first 23 vols, of the Journal. 



It is hoped that this publication will supply a desideratum which 

 has been long felt by all who have occasion to consult the pages of 

 the Society's transactions, and render the varied and valuable matter 

 contained in the volumes accessible, not merely to our own members, 

 but to the public at large. 



Officers. Babu Gour Doss Bysack was appointed in March last 

 Assistant Secretary and Librarian in place of Babu Bajendralal 

 Mittra resigned, whose valuable services have received the public 

 acknowledgment of the Society, as recorded in the proceedings of 

 February last. His successor has been very regular and assiduous 

 in the discharge of his duties. 



Oriental Fund. It has been found that from the rapid issue of 

 the Nos. of the Bibliotheca Indica during the last three years, the 

 demands upon the Oriental Fund have far exceeded its resources. 

 The activity of the several editors had pushed the publication of the 

 series beyond the limits warranted by the Government allowance, 

 and the consequence has been, the accumulation of heavy liabilities 

 which have been the subject of remark both by the local and home 

 Government. 



It has therefore been resolved that the publication should be 

 suspended until provision is made for the liquidation of the debts. 



The principles on which the Bibliotheca Indica has lately been 

 conducted were likewise made the subject of animadversion by Pro- 

 fessor Horace Hayman Wilson, and the Hon'ble Court of Directors. 

 They drew the attention of the Society to the disproportion of the 

 Arabic to the Sanscrit publications, which they considered in- 

 consistent with the comparative claims of the two departments of 

 literature, and dwelt on the importance of confining the appropria- 

 tion of the grant to the encouragement of the Sanscrit language, 

 except in the case of works illustrative of the history or social con- 

 dition of India. 



The Society without concurring in the wisdom of restricting the 

 Bibliotheca Indica to Sanscrit works, or to works relating exclusively 

 to India, have expressed every disposition to be guided by the views 

 advanced by the learned Professor and the Ilon'ble Court. 



