1856.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 237 



of the Society, and that he was pleased to intimate his acceptance 

 of the office. 



2nd. — Stating that Lieut. Lees having gone to Europe, his place 

 in the Council had been filled up by the election of Babu Eajendra- 

 lal Mittra, subject to the confirmation of the Society at the next 

 meeting. 



3rd. — Submitting a memorial from Mr. Blyth to the Hon'ble the 

 Court of Directors, together with a recommendation " that the 

 memorial of Mr. Blyth be forwarded to the Government of Bengal, 

 with the expression of the high sense entertained by the Society of 

 the value of Mr. Blyth's labours in the department of Natural His- 

 tory, and of its hope that the memorial may be favourably considered 

 by the Hon'ble Court." 



The memorial is as follows : — 



To the Hon'ble the Court oe Directors oe the East 

 India Company. 



The Memorial of Edward Blyth, Curator of the Asiatic 

 Society's Museum, Calcutta. 



Respectfully Sheweth, — 1. That in September, 1855, your 

 Memorialist completed fourteen years of service with the Asiatic 

 Society in Calcutta, as Curator of its Museum, during which long 

 period, he has found that the expenses of living have increased con- 

 siderably, whilst his salary still continues at its original humble sum 

 of Company's Eupees 250 monthly (granted for the purpose to the 

 Society by your Hon'ble Court) ; and this, with no kind of promo- 

 tion nor so much as a retiring pension to look forward to, after any 

 number of years of toilsome service in the climate of Bengal. 



2. — That, however desirous the Asiatic Society might be of aug- 

 menting your Memorialist's personal allowances, the ever increasing 

 demands upon its income, consequent upon the extension of its col- 

 lections among other causes, altogether disables it from so doing ; 

 and beyond the continuance of a monthly grant of Co.'s Es. 40, 

 allowed in compensation for some rooms which were formerly occu- 

 pied by your Memorialist in its Museum, it appears that he cannot 

 hope for a suitable increase of pay from the Asiatic Society, to 

 whatever extent he may exert himself in promotion of its interests. 



2 i 



