xii 



JOURNAL R. A. S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. Ill, 



Committee of Papers: 



Rev. B. Roake. 

 Rev. J. D. Palm. 



J. De Alwis, Esq. 



M. Coonrarasamy, Esq. 



J. Capper, Esq. 



C. A. Lorenz, Esq. 

 L. Nell, Esq. 



PAPERS REFERRED TO IN THE REPORT. 



Asiatic Society's Rooms, 



Colombo, January 26th, 1859. 



His Excellency the Governor having, with the advice of his 

 Council, assigned to the Asiatic Society of Ceylon, accommodation for 

 its Museum and Library in one of the Public buildings at Colombo, 

 and a pecuniary grant-in-aid of its funds, "the Society considers this 

 a fitting occasion for appealing to the Members of the different Services, 

 and to the public at large, for their co-operation in promoting the 

 practical utility of this Institution. 



That end, it is apprehended, will be best accomplished, not only 

 by uniting in one Museum at Colombo objects of every description 

 calculated to illustrate the Natural History, the Geology, Mineralogy, 

 Botany, Industrial resources, capabilities and Arts of the Island, but 

 by interesting the Members of the Civil, Medical and Railway Depart- 

 ments, the Officers of Her Majesty's Army and Navy, and the gentlemen 

 engaged in Commercial and Planting pursuits, in contributing such 

 Statistical, Meteorological, Topographical, Historical, and other inform- 

 ation as they may be able to collect ; and in contributing, from time to 

 time, original Papers to be publicly read at the Meetings of the Society. 



The extensive works now in progress for facilitating internal com- 

 munication, especially the completion of the Telegraph and construction 

 of the Railway, are opening up, daily, new sources of information 

 throughout the Colony, and the organization which already exists in 

 every Government Department including the Mudaliyars, Ratemahat- 

 mayas and other Native Headmen, affords the ready means, if well 

 worked, of enabling, as it is hoped, this Institution to become, as 

 the depositary of, and as the agent for, diffusing much valuable local 

 information, an active promoter of the public good. 



The Society therefore takes this opportunity of informing all who 

 may feel inclined to aid in caryying out the above mentioned objects, 

 that by the liberality of the Government, all Papers and other objects, 

 not too large for the convenience of the tappal, will be conveyed free 

 of expense when addressed to the Secretary of the Society, and enclosed 

 to the Colonial Secretary, Colombo. 



