1837.] 



Royal Asiatic Society. 



4G3 



the mean while, they hope that Captain Harkness will have the good- 

 ness to conduct the business of the Committee. 



Resolved,— That the Secretary be authorized to obtain occasional 

 assistance, at an amount of expense not exceeding sixty pounds per 

 annum. 



A mass of Papers were submitted to the Committee, containing the 

 Replies of the several Collectors under the Presidency of Madras, to 

 Queries suggested by Mr. M'Culloch, on statistics, manufactures, com- 

 merce, &c, and transmitted to India by the Committee of Correspon- 

 dence of the Society. 



Resolved, — That these papers be conveniently arranged for re- 

 ference ; and that a list of the Queries, with marginal notes indicat- 

 ing the corresponding number of the Reply, the places from which, 

 and the persons by whom answers have been returned, be prepared. 



Resolved,~That Mr. M'Culloch be informed of the receipt of the 

 replies to his queries from Madras; and that he have access to the 

 same. 



Read the following communications : — 



1st. From Mr. Harman Visger, of Bristol, on Lichens, with speci- 

 mens, &c. &c. ; and expressing his conviction that the extensive 

 regions of the East must produce, in abundance, some of the known, 

 and many of the unknown, though probably not less valuable, 

 Lichens available for dyeing; that a large and certain supply of 

 good sorts would greatly stimulate the consumption, which has 

 been much checked by the short supply and high price of the 

 best-known Lichens used for dyeing; that, at present, he esti- 

 mates the annual import at from 60,000/ to 80,000/. ; that he would be 

 happy carefully to test any specimens that may be sent to him, and to 

 report on them; and that he had sent to the Committee such specimens 

 of Lichens as he had then been able to procure, with a list and paper 

 of instructions, not confined merely to them, but comprising others 

 which he would send so soon as he could procure them. 



2d. From Mr. Southey, of Coleman Street, on East Indian Wool, 

 with specimens, &c. &c. 



3d. Extract of a Letter from Messrs. Forbes and Co., of Bombay ; 

 on Indian Iron. 



Resolved, — That the thanks of the Committee be returned to these 

 gentlemen for their kind attention j and that the list of Lichens and 



