No. 61.— 1908.] 



PROCEEDINGS. 



183 



in that material were necessarily as rude as these found in 

 Ceylon, for they could not do better with such a villainous 

 material to work upon." 



If only our funds permitted I would certainly recommend 

 that as soon as Mr. Pole's drawings, with descriptive letterpress, 

 are passed by the Council they should be published. Perhaps 

 the Government may see its way to extend some aid, in view of 

 the express approval and recommendation made by so great an 

 authority as Mr. Bruce Foote. 



We are all, t I have no doubt, on the qui vive to see Mr. H. 

 Parker's book on Ceylon Antiquities, the publication of which is 

 expected about this time. He also has expressed much interest, 

 as did the brothers Sarasin and Dr. Seligmann, in Mr. Pole's finds. 



The revision of the Mahdwansa, for which a Special Commit- 

 tee has been appointed, is a work of great interest to this Society, 

 and so is Professor Geiger's critical work on the original Pali, 

 now weekly expected from Germany. 



The progress of archaeological research under the able and 

 experienced direction of Mr. H. C. P. Bell, Archaeological Commis- 

 sioner, has always commanded the warm interest of our Society. 

 I am glad to be able to say that Mr. Bell has very nearly over- 

 taken all the arrears in respect of his Annual Reports. Two 

 Reports have lately been laid on the Council table, and the 

 remainder will be ready ere long, and then Mr. Bell will be free to 

 give all his attention to out-of-door work. 



Unfortunately, through the Secretary of State throwing out 

 the Governor's proposal to give out of Surplus Balances Rs. 50,000 

 each year for some years, to excavation and restoration, only 

 Rs. 20,000 could be spared out of the General Revenue for 1909 ; 

 but it is hoped that the vote can be considerably increased for 

 1910. 



It behoves the Members of this Society to take an intelligent 

 interest in what is going on in other Eastern lands, and our 

 Reading Room and Library offer excellent opportunities for 

 obtaining much information. 



I have lately returned from Java, and a visit to the vast and 

 most interesting ancient Buddhist and Hindu ruins in that 

 island. There are similar ruins of great importance in Cambodia, 

 and, with the facilities for travel multiplying, visitors to these and 

 other near or far eastern lands may be expected to include not 

 a few Members of this Society, 'who will find a ready welcome 

 given by officials and others when they learn of their archaeological 

 and scientific interests in Ceylon. 



In this connection mention should be made of the second and 

 fuUy revised edition of our former President's (the Metropolitan 

 Bishop's) standard book on " Buddhism," which has been the 

 subject of so many favourab-e reviews. 



A new edition of that standard work the late James Fergusson's 

 "History of Indian and Eastern Architecture," edited by Df. J. 

 Burgess, is on the eve of issue. The chapter on Ceylon has been 

 revised by Mr. Bell. 



