1836.] 



Proceedings of Societies, 



179 



The next circumstance was the mission of Capt Chesney to investigate the 

 practicability of establishing a communication by steam with India, either by the 

 Euphrates or the Red Sea. If that were done, we should bring India more imme- 

 diately within our scope-, and should then be enabled to communicate and receive 

 an answer to our letters in four months, while now it took at least a year. He also 

 looked to that expedition as being calculated to furnish much valuable informa- 

 tion on many subjects, as Captain Chesney was accompanied by several able and 

 scientific coadjutors. He felt we were highly indebted to the late president of the 

 Board of Control, now Lord Glenelg, and to another gentleman, whom he had the 

 pleasure of seeing in the room, Mr. Stuart Mackenzie, for that mission ; and, also 

 for the peculiar interest they had shewn in all matters connected with India. The 

 right hon. gentleman concluded by thanking the members for the kind way in 

 which they had voted the thanks of the Society to him ; and expressed his hope 

 that he should have the happiness of meeting them at the dinner that evening. 



Upon a remark being made by Colonel Sykes, Mr. Wynn observed, that if, as 

 was possible, the museum of the East India Company should be united with the 

 Society's, still greater space would be required ; but that he was sanguine, on 

 such an event, accommodation might more readily be procured, and that the 

 Society would then soon be relieved from the present heavy expense it was at for 

 house-rent. 



Sir George Staunton said, in allusion to the contending claims of societies,. 

 Lord Althorp had expressed his opinion that, if a vacancy should occur in any 

 public building, the claims of the Royal Asiatic Society should have the pre- 

 ference. 



Sir Alexander Johnston remarked that, as the Society might be made a 

 powerful auxiliary for the good government of India, its support should be consi- 

 dered by an enlightened governmeut as a matter of the greatest moment. 



John Goldie, Esq. moved the thanks of the meeting to the vice-presidents of 

 the Society, which was seconded by Sir Ralph Rice, and carried unanimously. 



The Right Hon. Henry Ellis rose to move a vote of thanks to the council, on 

 whose exertions, he said, much of the Society's success depended. In reference to 

 the late Dr. Morrison, Mr. Ellis mentioned an instance which had come under his 

 OAvn observation, and which proved the value of that learned man's labours in a 

 national point of view. On that occasion, a very difficult paper was put before 

 the Doctor, to be translated into Chinese, which he did with as much ease as the 

 draft had been written with, and, he believed, in a perfectly unexceptionable 

 style. He thought that that extraordinary individual deserved some mark of 

 national gratitude. 



J. A. Stuart Mapkenzie, Esq. in seconding the motion, remarked, that he 

 thought the best method for procuring some public support for the Society would 

 be, to make an application to parliament, and he hoped the right hon. President 

 would undertake to bring the matter before that house. He did not doubt that the 

 claims of this Society, so intimately connected as it was with the future interests 

 of India, would meet with a fair consideration from any government He took 

 blame to himself, that this should be the first anniversary of the Society at which 

 he attended ; — more especially when he remembered how long he had been con- 

 nected with the Board of Control. It would now, however, be his gratifying duty 

 to endeavour to make up for lost time, by paying in future double attention to the 

 interests of the Society, when he had no longer the honour or advantage of being a 

 member of that board. India and Indian interests must become familiarised every 

 day, more and more, to Englishmen ; and this Society could not fail to exercise a 

 jnost beneficial and essential influence in advancing a more general knowledge of 



