38 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Jan. 



and one that has perhaps been too little heeded, is the advancement of 

 Physical Science in this country. It is not here, though, that the elemen- 

 tary knowledge could be imparted, but in the schools where the youthful 

 mind is trained to observation and comprehension of laws, the results 

 of whose operations are recorded and verified here. And yet, I regret 

 to say, the only means of teaching even the rudiments of Physical 

 Science in this Presidency, (I know not how it is in the others,) are such 

 as are afforded by one chair in the Presidency and those in the Medical 

 College in Calcutta, whilst in the N. W. not a single chair of Physical 

 Science, with the exception of that at Roorki, which is restricted to a 

 limited class of Engineering students — exists. Tt appears to me that 

 this is a subject worthy of consideration, not merely by this Society, 

 but by the educational authorities, with a view to its being remedied ; 

 for not only do we regret the paucity of actual means, but it is to be 

 feared there is a tendency to discourage even those that already exist, 

 and to discontinue the teaching of physical science at all. This is surely 

 opposed to sound educational policy, especially in the case of a 

 people like the natives of this country ; and it certainly is at variance 

 with the spirit of the University scheme, which has invariably insisted 

 on its adoption. 



The Journal of the Society has been regularly published, that is 

 to say, two Parts of each series, (the Physical Science and the Philo- 

 logical) have appeared under the supervision of their respective edi- 

 tors. There has been delay in their issue, but it was unavoidable. The 

 cost of bringing out the Physical Science Part has been unusually heavy 

 this year, and it may perhaps be necessary to delay the issue of the next 

 number. The articles are all interesting, and some of them have been 

 read at the monthly meetings. I have not time for more than simple 

 allusion to them by name : they are "On the Initial Coinage of 

 Bengal," by E. Thomas, Esq.; "Notes On the Jumma Musjid of 

 Etawah," by C. Home, Esq. C. S. ; " Translation of an Inscription 

 copied in the temple of Nakhon Vat or the City of Monasteries, near 

 the capital of ancient Kambodia," by Dr. A. Bastien. In the 2nd 

 No. " Notes on Suraj-ood-dowlah and the town of Moorshedabad, taken 

 from a Persian manuscript of the Tarikh i Mancuri," by H. Blochman, 

 Esq. M. A. ; " Notes on Buddhist Remains nearMynpoorie," by C. Home, 

 Esq. B. C. S. ; " Notes on the Carvings on the Buddhist post-rails 



