1862.] 
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 
441 
For August, 1862. 
The Monthly General Meeting of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 
was held on the 6th Instant. 
A. Grote, Esq., President, in the chair. 
Presentations were received—• 
1. From T. S. Shaw, Esq., Mynpoorie, through Mr. E. C. Bayley 
a Sassanian silver coin. 
2. From Dr. F. E. Hall, a copy of his work entitled “ A Rational 
Refutation of the Hindu Philosophical Systems,” translated from the 
Hindi of Pundit Nehemiali Nil Kanth Sastri Gore. 
Read letters— 
1. From the Secretary to the Government of Bengal, forwarding 
official correspondence on certain beds of coal discovered by Major 
Sherwill in the Govindpore subdivision of the Maunblioom district. 
The papers shew that this coal is of inferior quality. It has been 
analysed by Mr. Tween of the Geological Survey, who considers it 
“ for all purposes, except perhaps lime-burning, nearly, if not altoge¬ 
ther, worthless.” 
2. From the Commissioner of Mysore, forwarding several copies 
of a table shewing the elevations of certain localities, and the height 
of certain mountains in the Mysore territories. 
3. From the Hon’ble F. W. A. Bruce, Her Majesty’s Minister at 
Peking, the following letter addressed to the President, in reply to 
a communication from him on the subject of the Thibetan expe¬ 
dition : — 
Peking , 4 tit J\lag, 1862. 
Dear Sir,—I have received your letter on communication with 
Thibet. 
I had previously addressed myself to the lamas who are at present 
in Peking as envoys from Lliassa, a journey it has taken them three 
years to effect. But they appear miserably and profoundly ignorant, 
so much so that not an atom of information could be obtained from 
them. The difficulty of holding intercourse with them is increased 
by the necessity of employing the official interpreter attached to 
them by the Chinese Government. 
As soon as certain questions are disposed of which at present ab¬ 
sorb all the time the Prince of Hung can give me, I shall enter on 
the subject with him, and inform the Government of India of the 
3 m 2 
