( 31 ) 
enm of about £400 will be necessary. SubBcriptions, 
■with interest, of £300 have already been received, and 
a balance of about £100 is therefore still needed. 
Donations should be sent to the Chairman of the 
Medal Committee, Royal Asiatic Society, 22, Alber- 
marle street, London. 
Intebnational GATAiiOGUE Or Scientific Lite RATURE. 
— The Royal Society have undertaken to prepare and 
conduct a catalogue of all scientific literature pub- 
lished throughout the world. In pursuance of the 
scheme the Asiatic Society of Bengal has, at the 
request of the Royal Society, undertaken the forma- 
tion and conduct of a Regional Bureau for India and 
Ceylon. This Society has been invited to co-operate 
in the vpork, and the Council take this opportunity 
of directing the attention of the authors of Scientific 
Papers to the Circular on this subject, which is pub- 
lished as an appendix to this report. The slips there 
"applied for may be forwarded to the Lionorary Sec- 
cretary of this Society. 
Council. — F M Mackwood was elected a Vice- 
President in place of Mr. Staniforth Green. The 
Council regret Mr. Green's departure from the Island. 
He was connected for many years with the Society, 
being a Member f-om 1866, and afterwards a Member 
of Council and Vice-President. Mr. Green always 
took an active interest iu tl:e Society's affairs, and 
his scientific attainments and general knowledge made 
him a most valuable Member of the Council. Two 
Members of the Council of 1898, viz., Messrs. O Collett, 
P.E.M.S., and P Ramai'.athan, c.m.g., having been, by 
virtue of Rule 16, deemed to have retired by least 
attandence, the vacancies caused by their retirement 
Vfere filled by the appointment of Messrs. J P Lfwis 
and H White. 
Finances. — The total income for the year, exclusive 
of the balance in hand of Rl,418-H, was iS2,024-17, 
and the expenditure amouo ed to i<l,839'29, the sum 
in hand at the close of the year being Rl,603'02. 
Considerable difficulty is still experienced in getting 
in outstanding aubscriptions. 
ADOPTION OF THE KKPOET, 
The Chairman observed that the next business 
•was the adoption of the Report. 
Mr. J Ferguson said that he had pleasure 
in proposing that the Report he adopted. 
Mr. Freudenberg seconded,— Carried. 
His Lordship the Bishop then vacated the chair 
and on the proposition of Mr. Harward, the Rev. 
F H de Winton was elected Chairman pro tern, 
ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS. 
The Rev. F H De Winton proposed the election 
of the following office- bearets for the ensuing 
year, observing that as at present tliere was no 
name available as Treasurer, the election of that 
oificer be deferred. 
I'resident :— The Bishop of Colombo. 
Vice-Presidents : — The Hon. Mr. Justice Lawrie, 
Mr. P M Mackwood. 
Council :— Messrs. C M Fernando, A Halv, ? 
Freudenberg, .7 Ferguson, P Coomaraswamy, F H 
Modder, Dr. W G VauDort, Messrs. W P Ranasinhe, 
H White, S M Burrows, E B Green, and B Booth. 
Hony. Treasurer (vacant). 
Hony. Secretaries :— Messrs. HC P Bell, J Harward, 
and Gerard A Joseph, 
Mr. P iiloRGAPPAH seconded. — Carried. 
The Bishop then resumed the chair. In doing so 
he said he had much pleasure in returning thanks 
ou behalf of himself and of the ofhce-bearers for the 
expression of confidence reposed in them. The 
business before them was of a formal character, 
and he would not, therefore, trouble them with 
any remarks, beyond saying that he could assure 
them that the office-bearers would do their best 
towards one another and for the members of the 
Society. (Laughter and Applause). 
Mr. Freudenberg proposed a vote of thanks 
to His Lordship for presiding. — Carried by accla- 
mation. 
His Lordship said lie returned thanks on behalf 
of himself and the Rev. F H de Winton, who 
had taken an important part in that laborious 
function. (Laughter). 
BUDDHIST RELICS. 
(From the Ceylon Secretariat.) 
The following communication has been re- 
ceived from the Secretary to the Government of 
India with regard to the distribution by His 
Majesty the King of Siam of certain Buddhist 
Relics discovered in India to Buddhist Deputations 
from Burma and Ceylon : — 
From J. P. Hewett, Esq., O.S I., C.I.E., Secretary 
to the Government of India. 
To the Hon, the Colonial Secretary, Ceylon, 
Colombo. 
Calcutta, the 24th Feb., 1900. 
Sir, — Adverting to the correspondence ending with 
the telegram from this Office, No. 2967, dated the 
20th December 1899, upon the subject of the distribu- 
tiou of the sacred Buddhist relics by His Majesty 
the King of Siam, 1 am directed to forward, for the 
information of His Excellency the Governor, a copy 
of a communication from Her Britannic Majesty's 
Minister Resident and Cousul-General in Siam dated 
Baugkok,the 16th January, 1900,and enclosure, showing 
that the relics were distributed to the deputations 
sent from Burma and Ceylon on the 9th Idem. A 
copy of the ackuowledgment of the appreciation of the 
Government of India in reply is also enclosed. I 
have, &c., (Signed) J. P. HEWETT, Secretary to 
the Government of India. 
Dated, the 16th January, 1900. 
Prom C E W Stringer, Esq., Her Britannic 
Majesty'sCharged' Affaires and Acting Consul-General, 
Bangkak. 
To the Secretary of the Government of India, 
Home Department. 
With reference to your telegram of the 20th 
ultimo, stating that the deputations to receive the 
Buddhist relics from the King of Siam had left 
Colombo and Rangoon, I have the honour to forward 
herewith, for the information of the Government 
of India, copy of a letter from the Siamese Foreign 
Minister stating that the relics were handed over on 
the 9th instant, and expressing a hope that what the 
King has done in the matter of their distribution will 
meet with the approval of the Indian Government 
The deputations are now leaving Bangkok on their 
return journey. 
Dated the 14th January, 190O. 
From Devwongse, Siamese Minister for Foreign 
Affairs, Bangkok. 
To C E W Stringer, Esq., Her Britannic Majesty's 
Charged Affair's and Acting Cousul-General. 
With reference to my note of October in regard 
to the distribution of the Buddhist relics to the 
deputations from Burma and Ceylon, I have by 
His Majesty's command, the honour to state for 
the information of the Government of India, that 
the ceremony of delivering over the relics has taken 
place on the 9th instant, and that the object of 
His Majesty in the distribution was that as the 
Buddhist relics are the most sacred to, and most 
sought after by, all Buddhist public. His Majesty 
therefore desires that some portion of them should 
be kept at some important city or towns fre- 
quented by Buddhist philgrims so that all of them 
may have equal benefits of worshipping it. Besides 
His Majesty thinks that the apportioning to any 
individual sect or community would create disaffec- 
tion, because by doing ao it would be making only 
certain sect or ooni;aunity of the owner of the 
relics. 
