1859.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society, 403 



while several have found it necessary to give up their collections 

 altogether from reasons similar to those which now press upon this 

 Society. 



The Committee would also wish to explain in reference to their 

 proposal that the Society should offer its collections to a National 

 Museum, that they by no means advise that the collections should 

 be handed over without conditions to be placed at the disposal of the 

 Government. It might reasonably be expected that the Government 

 would see the justice of admitting into the managing body of any 

 Public Museum some representatives of the Society, which had pre- 

 sented so valuable a contribution as these collections, and which might 

 always be expected to contain within its ranks the principal Scien- 

 tific men of the country. But it does not seem necessary in the 

 present stage of things to enter into further details on such a sub- 

 ject, nor would it be proper to introduce the mention of any condi- 

 tions in first addressing the Government. 



The question of the position of the Museum is another of those 

 points which would require consideration, but the discussion of this 

 too seems at present premature. 



The Committee therefore conclude by reporting to the Council 

 that they recommend that the consent of the Society should be re- 

 quested to authorize the Council to communicate with the Govern- 

 ment on the subject of the foundation at Calcutta of a National 

 Museum on a fitting scale, and in a convenient situation, to which 

 the whole of the Society's collections might be transferred. 



(Signed) E. Strachey, 



W. S. Atkinson, 

 T. Boycott, 

 Thomas Thomson, 

 E. Samuells. 

 Bated, 20th March, 1857. 



From C. Beadon, Esq., 



Secretary to the Government of India. 

 To The Secretary, Asiatic Society. 



Dated, Council Chamber. The 8th December, 1858. 

 Sir, — I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter 



