406 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [No. 4. 



the declared intentions of Government, be at once provided for at 



the public cost. 



Total expenditure for the year, 1858. 



Curator, 3,480 



Taxidermists, 932 



Servants, 390 



Cases, 813 The expense of the Museum 



Contingent, 239 for the last year in addition to 



the allowance made by Go- 



Rs., 5,854 vernment has amounted to 



— — Eupees 2,254. 

 Deduct present Government 



allowance, 3,600 



Rs., .-. ..2,254 



The Council has therefore directed me to solicit either a further 

 grant of Rupees 200 per mensem in addition to the sum now con- 

 tributed towards the support of the Museum, or, if it be deemed 

 preferable, that the Government would take on itself the actual cost 

 of the Museum within the limits of Rupees 6 ; 000 annually under 

 such check as may be thought suitable. 



The aid thus solicited from the Government would, the Council 

 think, not be perceptible as a burden on the finances, while it would 

 for the present at least secure the valuable collections of the Society 

 from the risk of deterioration to which the Council drew the atten- 

 tion of Government in my former letter on the subject. 



With regard to the Society's Geological and Palasontologieal col- 

 lections, the Council desire me to say that in the prospect of the 

 establishment of a general museum which shall embrace all the 

 branches of Natural History, it appears to them undesirable to se- 

 parate temporarily one portion of the collections from the rest. 

 Such a separation would only be an additional source of expense ; 

 the objects comprised in the Geological collection are imperish- 

 able, and their preservation now costs the Society nothing; were 

 they removed, the rooms they occupy would necessarily require new 

 fittings at a considerable outlay in order to make them available for 



