1838.] 



Royal Asiatic Society. 



as our proceedings become generally and better known among the 

 more enlightened of our fellow-subjects in the East, that many others, 

 from all the Presidencies, will be anxious to join the Society, and to 

 co-operate with us in the attainment of its objects. 



The Report of the Auditors on the state of the Finances of the So- 

 ciety will shortly be submitted to you. 



While adverting to the subject of Finance, your Council has much sa- 

 tisfaction in noticing the very handsome donation of lOOZ. to the 

 funds of the Society from Major-General Sir Henry Worsley; and 

 likewise to a further proof of his liberality, in having increased his sub- 

 scription, which, as an original Member, was only two guineas, 

 to three guineas per annum. 



It is with much regret that your Council alludes to the entire failure 

 of the hopes which it has for some years past cherished, of obtaining 

 from his Majesty^s Government, the accommodation of the rooms for- 

 merly occupied by the Royal Academy in Somerset House, or that 

 of some other public building. The results of the several deputations 

 to Ministers to urge on them the expediency of such a grant, and the 

 replies to the memorials presented, setting forth the claims of the 

 Society, have been too often brought to your, notice to render a reca^ 

 pitulation of them necessary. The first was in the year 1833, during 

 Lord Althorp's administration, when, as is recorded on the minutes 

 of your Council, the deputation was told by his lordship, tha t it was 

 his lordship's individual opinion, that if the use of the rooms then oc- 

 cupied by the Royal Academy were to be granted to any Society, the 

 Royal Asiatic Society should have the preference. The replies to sub" 

 sequent applications in no way controverted this ground of hope ; but 

 it has within these few weeks come to the knowledge of the Council, 

 that the rooms have been otherwise appropriated. 



Your Council would willingly have waived any reference to this sub- 

 ject, did it not feel that its duty to the Society obliges it to make 

 this statement, in order to dissipate from the minds of the Members 

 this long-cherished hope ; and, though it cannot be supposed that any 

 such disappointment will for a moment slacken our endeavours to pro- 

 mote the usefulness of this Society, as regards the welfare of our fel- 

 low-subjects in Asia, or as regards the people of this country, in be- 

 ing the medium of communicating to them that knowledge of the for- 

 mer — their Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, and Commerce ; of the valu- 

 able natural productions and vast resources of our widely-extended 

 empire in the East, of which daily experience is now proving the great 

 a nd increasing worth ; still it is necessary to knov/ that we must, in this 



