298 
[No. 3, 
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 
From the Ojfg. Secy, to the Govt, of India, 
To the Secy, of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 
Bated Fort William, the 2Qth Alay, 1861. 
FonEioif Dept. 
Sib, — It is in contemplation to procure permission from the Chinese 
authorities for the passage of a small scientific expedition into the 
little known territories of Chinese Tartary beyond our Himalayan 
frontier. 
I am directed by His Excellency the Governor General in Council 
to communicate this information to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 
and to invite the Society to afford such information and advice as 
may be likely to secure the greatest and most important advantages, 
both to science and to commerce, from the results of this expedition. 
The expedition will probably be directed towards Ladak, the country 
north-east of Ladak, and that between Ladak and Lhassa. 
A rough memorandum of the subjects upon which information 
is likely to prove useful is inclosed. It will probably be within 
the power of the Society to furnish the information thus sought, as 
well as further suggestions for the guidance of the expedition — all of 
which His Excellency the Governor General in Council will be glad 
to receive at as early a date as may be practicable. 
I have the honor to be, 
Sir, 
Your most obedient Servant, 
(Signed) E. C. Bayley, 
Ojfg. Secy. Govt, of India. 
I. Geogeapiiy awd Topogbapiiy. — Beyond the general in- 
formation on these subjects which may be expected from the researches 
of the expedition, it is of importance that particular attention be 
paid to the trade routes, the courses of the rivers, the heights of the 
mountains and the direction of the mountain chains. A sketch of 
the present state of scientific knowledge in regard to the Geography 
and Topography of the Trans-Himalayan territories would naturally 
be very useful to the expedition. Attention might especially be 
directed to the identification of the traditional Kailas of the Hindus, 
and the measurement of its height. The Asiatic Society will doubt- 
less be able to afford much information upon this point. 
