432 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society, [No. 5' 



remain, packed away in boxes and quite inaccessible. Nor is there, 

 as I believe, any prospect of such additional rooms being obtained as 

 would suffice for the display even of the existing collections, with- 

 out reference to the frequent additions received every year. 



Abundant accommodation has been provided in the house which 

 is at present intended for the reception of these collections, and 

 ample provision will be made in the intended new buildings for 

 such purposes. 



The connexion of the Geological Museum finally with the Uni- 

 versity and the Presidency College, gives a full guarantee that there 

 will always be a qualified staff to take charge of the collections. 

 There must always be a professor of Geology attached to the 

 College, who even if a Museum did not exist would be compelled 

 to form one, and who would therefore be deeply interested in its 

 success, while the union of this Museum with the great central 

 establishments for education would extend its correspondents, and 

 enable it to derive the full benefit of exchanges with and from 

 kindred institutions in other places. 



The Museum with all its collateral advantages is ordered to be 

 made as fully available to all classes, as it possibly can be : it is to 

 be open, under proper restriction, every day excepting Sundays, and 

 is to be free, and every thing will be done to render it as perma- 

 nently useful as possible. 



Government have further sanctioned an expenditure sufficient 

 to bring together a useful working library of books of reference on 

 such subjects, and this also will, so far as practicable, be made 

 freely available for all enquirers and students. 



Under these circumstances I would express a confident hope that 

 the Asiatic Society will entertain favorably the request conveyed to 

 them through their President, and will aid in the advancement of 

 Geology, (an end which I am sure they will acknowledge to be both 

 useful and desirable,) by contributing the collections now in their 

 possession. 



In doing so I might add that they would only be following the 

 example of other kindred societies at home, while, if so desired, 

 their collections might readily, for purposes of reference, be kept 

 distinct from others and thus be quite as useful to their members 



