1856.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 431 



collections which now constitute the Museum of Economic Geology, 

 and any other collections now in Calcutta belonging to Govern- 

 ment." 



I have therefore the honor to request that at the earliest con- 

 venience of the Society, arrangements may be made for handing 

 over to me the collections of the Museum of Economic Geology now 

 under their charge. A house, well adapted for the purpose, has been 

 rented for a term of three years, and I am ready for the reception 

 and arrangement of the collections. 



In submitting this request I would beg to add, for the information 

 of the Society, that the fully-expressed determination of Govern- 

 ment is that the Museum shall contain collections sufficient for all 

 purposes of reference and study, a collection of all the mineral 

 products of the country, and a series exhibiting their applications, 

 and as extensive a series of organic remains as it may be possible to 

 bring together, special attention being directed to those from 

 different parts of India, with such fossils of corresponding age from 

 other countries as will tend to elucidate their history : in brief, to 

 have the Museum as extensive, as useful, and as general, as it may 

 be possible to make it, and also such as may be in some degree 

 worthy of the capital of British India. 



Success in carrying out this object can only be looked for from 

 the hearty aid and co-operation of all those who may take an 

 interest in such pursuits. I have already had promises of such co- 

 operation from several in Europe, who feel how materially the 

 advancement of Geology will depend on such establishments to aid 

 in the study of the science, and I feel that it will need no argument 

 to prove to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, the advantage which must 

 result from such a Museum. It could only have been from a con- 

 viction of those advantages that the Society has so long, so steadily 

 and so successfully devoted itself to the accomplishment of a similar 

 end, and has brought together a collection of great value and im- 

 portance. But no one can be more fully aware than the Society 

 itself is how inadequate, for the exhibition of their collections, is the 

 room which can now be devoted to thein, and how impossible it is 

 to render useful any collections which they possess, and how many 

 valuable additions to their Museum still remain, and unavoidably 



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