106 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [April 



The following gentlemen were announced as candidates for ballot 

 at the May meeting, as ordinary members. 



J. Baynes, Esq., Calcutta, proposed by Mr. Scott, seconded by Dr. 

 Colles. 



T. E. Coxheacl, Esq., C. S., Meherpur, Nuddea, proposed by Mr. 

 Giles, seconded by Mr. H. F. Blanford. 



A. Pirie, Esq., Professor, Doveton College, proposed by Mr. Bloch- 

 mann, seconded by Mr. G. Robb. 



C. D. Field, Esq., proposed by the Hon. J. P. Norman, seconded by 

 the Hon. J. B. Phear. 



F. W. Peterson, Esq., Bullion Department, Mint, proposed by Mr. 

 Blochmann, seconded by Mr. G. Robb. 



The following gentlemen have intimated their desire to withdraw 

 from the Society. 



The Hon. L. S. Jackson ; J. Harris, Esq., Calcutta ; C. U. Aitchison, 

 Esq., C. S., Lahore. 



The following resolution of the Council was read. 

 " Resolved unanimously. 



" That the following letters from Dr. Oldham be read at the next 

 general meeting of the Society." 



" To the Members of Council of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 



" Calcutta, March ISth, 1868. 

 11 Gentlemen, — I have to thank several of you for meeting me yester- 

 day to consider the circumstances attendant on the election of myself as 

 President and of other Officers on the 15th January last. You are 

 aware that no question was raised as to the fact that Rule 47 of the* 

 Bye-laws had not been complied with on that occasion ; no excuse or 

 cause for the omission given ; no assertion of ignorance of what that 

 law required. It was simply treated as an informality so trivial as to 

 call for no notice, and it was even sought to be defended by showing 

 that several other Rules had been systematically neglected ! ! The 

 fact, that the Meeting had not been summoned, and consequently not 

 held, as required by the laws of the Society, and that this was allowed 

 to occur with the knowledge of what those Rules required, was placed 

 beyond a doubt. 



" A resolution was passed, which, with all respect I am obliged to say, 

 simply begged the question. No one ever had doubted, no one could j 



