XV 

 ANNUAL REPORT. 



A Catalogue of the Books belonging to the Society has been 

 prepared and is attached to this Report. Steps will be taken to 

 have volumes of the foreign Journals suitably bound. 



The news of the death in Borneo, from a gun-accident, of Mr. 

 Frank Hatton, a member of this Society, was received here in 

 March last, and the following Minute was entered upon the Mi- 

 nutes of the Council of the Society held on the 11th June, 1883 : — 



" The President and Council of the Straits Branch of the Boyal 

 Asiatic Society desire to record the great regret with which they 

 have heard of the premature death of Mr. Frank Hatton, e.c.s., 

 who had evinced great interest in the objects of the Society, and 

 whose ability and industry had led them to hope for much valua- 

 ble scientific work from him in connection with Borneo." 



The ordinary members of the Society have had too frequently 

 but little time to give to literary pursuits and scientific studies. 

 Still, nevertheless, the Council appeal to those whose personal 

 tastes may lead them to take up any of the numerous branches of 

 investigation within the reach of any one living in these regions ; 

 and to those whose residence in the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, 

 Siam, <fcc, may enable them to note and record features of native 

 life, folklore, superstition, &c, or to gather vocabularies of the 

 languages of little known tribes, — to do their share in adding to the 

 store of knowledge bequeathed to us by earlier students. 



The Journal of the Indian Archipelago, conducted by J. B. Logan, 

 from 1847 to 1859, numbered amongst its contributors, Bishop 

 Bigakdet of Bangoon, Bishop Le Fevre of Cochin China, and the 

 Abbe Pavre (author of excellent dictionaries of the Javanese and 

 Malay languages). The body of devoted men whom the Mission 

 Etrangeres of Paris maintain in Indo- China have exceptional op- 

 portunities for Oriental studies, and no doubt number among them 

 scholars of ability. "Will not some of them, and missionaries of 

 other denominations, aid in the objects of this Society? Naval 

 Officers of our own and foreign Navies on the China Station some- 

 times visit localities which have been seldom or never described, or 

 observe meteorological phenomena which it would be useful to 

 record. Papers on such subjects would be welcomed. Members 

 living in the Native States in the Peninsula, have still facilities for 



