1855,] * Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 357 



made to either must be occasional and progressive. It does not happen 

 in India as in Europe, that large public or private collections of a rare 

 and valuable description are offered for sale, and all accessions which 

 the Society will have an opportunity of acquiring must be of limited 

 extent and incidental occurrence. From the character too of the 

 persons who are likely to contribute to the Society's collections, it is 

 very improbable that a pecuniary equivalent will in all cases be desired, 

 and it seems to us, on various grounds unnecessary and objectionable 

 to assign to the Society a permanent grant for the purpose of effecting 

 occasional purchases. When an application from the Society comes 

 before you for any definite outlay, it will be time enough to take into 

 consideration the expediency of granting the particular assistance that 

 may then be required. We shall not object to your granting to the 

 Society funds for special purchases as occasions arise, as far as may 

 be compatible with a due regard to public economy. On all such 

 occasions you will forward to our Museum a selection from the articles 

 which may have been so procured.' 



" Your Committee deem that one of the most important requirements 

 of the Museum is a pavement of Chunar stone in the basement story. 

 The necessity for such a pavement arises from the Museum being 

 thrown open to the public, who frequent it in considerable numbers, 

 constantly wearing the floor and unavoidably giving rise to clouds of 

 dust which materially injure the specimens. 



" It is in the freedom of access that the Society offers an analogy 

 to the national museums of Europe, and by throwing open to the 

 public the rich stores of Natural History, collected from all parts of 

 Asia, contributes to the growth and spread of science and education 

 among the natives and residents of India. On these grounds the 

 Committee consider themselves warranted in soliciting the assistance 

 of Government, the remedying of the great evil now complained of by 

 the substitution of Chunar stone pavement for the present very ineffi- 

 cient one of lime and bricks. 



"The Committee submit an estimate amounting to Co.'s Rs. 1500 

 for eight glazed cases which they consider absolutely necessary for the 

 preservation of the fossil remains, in the order in which they have 

 been arranged by Dr. Falconer ; an order which, if once destroyed, it 

 is doubtful if any man in India could restore, they therefore urge 



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