1868.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 15 



the thermal question, arose out of this thoughtful and interesting 

 paper. The subject of it is still under Professor Macnamara's in- 

 vestigation. 



At the April meeting, Mr. Waldie, an eminent Operative Chemist, 

 revived a subject that had previously occupied the Society's attention — 

 the composition of the Hooghly water. The paper described to the 

 actual composition and impurities, not only of the water generally, but 

 also of that taken at different parts of the river, below, opposite and 

 above the city, and again at different stages of the Tide. This 

 especially in reference to the great and important question of a 

 water supply for the city. Considerable discussion followed, with 

 the result of throwing much light on the bearings of this important 

 subject. 



At the May meeting, Babu Gourdass Bysack read an interesting 

 account of the antiquities of Bagerhaut in the Jessore district, 450 

 years ago, the seat of a Collectorate under the Mahomedan govern- 

 ment. It was presided over by one Khan Jehan, a Pathan of distinction ; 

 he enriched the place by constructing many noble buildings and 

 stately edifices, of which now only a mosque and a tomb remain. 

 Besides the tomb of a Mahomedan Pir, who made himself famous by 

 out-casting certain Brahmans, whose descendants retain to this day, in 

 consequence, the name of Pir Allies. There are a tank full of tame 

 crocodiles, supposed to possess many and extraordinary virtues and 

 powers — a mosque, remarkable for having sixty domes ; and a peculiar 

 acoustic phenomenon of a series of sounds which are heard at this place, 

 and loudest after storms and during calms, attributed by some to the 

 distant sea breaking on the shore, but by the Babu and others, to some 

 subterranean cause. 



Mr. Hill, Professor of Engineering in the Presidency College, then 

 read a most interesting paper, which he illustrated by drawings, of a 

 new form of steam engine, whose merits consist in the great economy 

 of fuel and power, not less than in the simplicity of its construction. 

 In the course of his description, he compared it with other forms of 

 engines, pointed out its superiority, and contrasted the relative expen- 

 diture of fuel and force in each. An interesting discussion followed, 

 on subjects connected with steam power and machinery generally, and 



