1859.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 171 



The great importance, however, of widening the basis of the society, 

 and obtaining for it a more general support, has been so frequently and 

 urgently pressed upon them, that, after much anxious consideration? 

 they have at length agreed to recommend that the experiment should 

 be tried, trusting that a large accession of members may justify the 

 anticipations of its advocates. 



The Council have come to the conclusion that, if any reduction is 

 made, it ought to be a considerable one, in order that the measure 

 may obtain any fair chance of success. 



The rules which fix the present rates of payment are as follows : 



Rule 8. — Ordinary members shall pay an admission fee of Rs. 32 

 and a quarterly payment of Rs. 16 in advance, commencing from 

 the quarter in which they are elected, so long as they are resident in 

 India. These rates to be continued for 2 years, and to be then 

 subject to revision. 



Rule 10. — It shall be optional for any member to compound for 

 the quarterly contributions by the payment of 500 lis. 



Rule 11. — All sums so paid shall be invested in Company's paper 

 and kept as a reserve fund, the interest of which alone shall be 

 appropriated to the current expenses of the Society. 



The Council propose to rescind these rules and substitute for 

 them the following. 



" Ordinary members shall be divided into two classes, — one Resi- 

 dent, one Non 'resident. 



"All members who reside within 30 miles of Calcutta shall be 

 deemed Resident. 



" Residents shall pay an admission fee of Rupees 32, and a quarter- 

 ly payment of Rs. 12. 



" Non-residents shall pay an admission fee of Rupees 32, and a 

 quarterly payment of Rs. 6. 



" All payments to be made in advance, commencing from the quar- 

 ter in which members are elected, and continuing so long as they are 

 resident in India." 



At present the number of paying members is 102, of whom about 

 one-half are resident. Supposing this proportion between residents 

 and non-residents to be maintained in future, the Council have cal- 

 culated that '200 members of both classes will be required in order 

 to provide for the present necessary expenditure of the Society. 



