CO 
President’s Address. 
[Feb. 
violent indraught of air. In this indraught, cyclonic circulation is caused 
by the earth’s rotation, according to known laws. Mr. Eliot has now 
determined that in all probability the path of the cyclone is due to the 
same antecedent causes as the origin of the cyclonic movement. 
But little reflection is needed in order to show the importance of these 
conclusions as to the laws which govern the origin and cause of cyclones. 
It simply means that, with a few additional opportunities of observation, 
such as telegraphic communication with the Andaman and Nicobar islands 
would afford, it would be possible, if the theories are correct, not only to 
tell when cyclones may be expected and when they cannot occur, but to 
trace out the approximate course they must follow when formed, and to 
give warning to threatened portions of the coast days in advance instead 
of hours. The importance of this for the protection of the shipping is 
easy to understand. But the injury done by these terrible gales to the 
shipping, fearful as it is, is really small compared with the destruction of 
life and property on shore ; it is probable that more lives were lost, and 
more property destroyed by the Backergunge Cyclone on land in a few 
hours, than by all the cyclones of the Bay of Bengal at sea in the course 
of the last century. It is not probable that the dangers of tropical gales 
can bo averted, but much may be done to diminish the destruction of life 
and property by timely warning, and this can only be given if the course 
of the storm can be foreseen. This most important object appears now 
within our reach. 
The progress of Indian Meteorology cannot but be satisfactory to the 
Asiatic Society, for it was in no small degree owing to the representations 
made to the Government of India by a Committee of the Society that the 
Meteorological Department, which has already achieved such important 
results, was established. 
Although the above is so far from an exhaustive account of scientific 
work in India during the year 1878, that I fear, except in geology and in 
some branches of zoology, it gives a most imperfect idea of what has been 
done, I trust it will serve to shew how much labour is being expended in 
India upon scientific enquiry of various kinds. Time does not serve me to 
attempt a review of all that is being done in other parts of Asia. Theie 
are, however, two works published during the year, each a record of scien¬ 
tific travel, and each deserving of notice. One is the account of Colonel 
Prejevalski’s journey to Lob-nor and the Altyn Tag, a range of mountains 
previously unknown, lying south of Lob-nor and forming the northern 
scarp of a plateau apparently connected with that of Tibet. The other is 
the first volume of Baron F. v. Eichtofen’s 1 China,’ containing a mass of 
