193 
On the Substitution of the Hindustani 
[June 
congelation ; while, hitherto, this assumption has been made the basis of every 
attempt to explain the diminishing temperature of the waters of the ocean. For 
the labours of which we have just given a sketch, we are indebted to M. de Bloss- 
ville and to MM. Legay and Vidal, the two quarter-masters of La Chevrette, w\\o 
had been instructed by that young officer in the method of taking observations, 
and whose zeal has never flagged for a moment. We may add, that M. de 
Blossville had procured, at his own expense, a part of the instruments which he has 
employed. 
To the catalogue of observations which are to be found in the journals of the ex- 
pedition, we may add those of the tide, the determination of the height, and of the 
temperature of certain hot springs at Ceylon, and finally’- even physiological experi- 
ments, to which M. Reynaud, surgeon, and M. de Blossville, equally contributed, viz. 
on the temperature of man and of different species of animals. Selecting from 
the crew of the Chevrette a number of sailors of different ages, constitutions, and 
countries, these observations have measured the modifications which different 
climates occasion in the temperature of the blood, and thus have added a fewinter- 
esting results to those which Mr. John Davy had already published on this subject. 
M e have confined ourselves so to say to a mere inventory of the various obser- 
vations with which the Chevrette has enriched science — not that we have not our- 
selves been occasionally tempted to expatiate on some of the conclusions which 
may be drawn from them, but that the difficulty of such a task being so ranch be- 
low those incurred in collecting such a mass of truths ; and this under the burning 
sun of the 1 t opics, make it a sort of duty on our part, even at the hazard of render- 
ing our report less interesting than might be desired, to leave to the authors of 
them the pleasure of being the first to publish the results to which they lead. 
I our committee will have attained their object if they have satisfied the Academy 
that the expedition of the Chevrette , though not fitted out for scientific research, 
wul hold a distinguished rank amongst those which have most largely contributed 
to the progress of science. In this case we would propose that the Academy 
should express suitable acknowledgements to those well informed and zealous officers 
whose names are introduced in our report, and should also write to their Fx- 
, cellencies the Ministers of the Marine and of the Interior, to state how desirable 
it is to have these able and useful labours published without delay. We think too 
that they might add the expression of their wish, that, as far as should be possible, 
the preparation of each part of the work should be entrusted to those by whose 
labour the facts were collected during the voyage. Although the journals have 
been earefufly kept, your committee may notice, that in the examination into 
which they have entered by desire of the Academy, they have remarked the 
want, in several places, of those little details and explanations which the memory 
ot the observer himself can alone supply, and which it would be a subject of 
i egret not to find in the printed work. 
(Sd.) De Rossel, Mathieu, Arago reporter. 
I he Academy adopts the conclusions of the report. 
Certified conformably : 
The Perpetual Secretary for the Mathematical Sciences, 
(Sd.) Baron Fourrier. 
V. On the Substitution of the Hindustani for the Persian Language 
in all 'public proceedings ; with remarks on a meditated change of the 
current Coin. 
To the Editor of the Gleanings in Science. 
A report has for some time been prevalent, of an intention, on the part of Go- 
vernment, to adopt the use of the English language, as the medium of conducting 
public business, instead of the Persian. As both ajipear to me nearly equally 
objectionable, and for the same reasons, while another and better plan is obvious, 
I beg leave to trouble you with a few observations upon the subject. I am far 
Irom asserting that no advantage would be derived from the change said to be 
contemplated; but surely, when we consider the relative numbers of the English 
G i na ^, ves ’ anc * ^ ie extreme ignorance and incapacity of the latter, a very 
trifling benefit is likely to be the result- It is impossible to look forward to any 
period, however remote, at which the English language shall become the verna- 
cular tongue of this country ; and, until it does so, if it is to be made the lan- 
