The Proceedings of the Meetings of October 11th and November 1st, having been read and explained, the Secretary called attention to the Resolution of the 11th October, referring to the appointment of a Reading Committee.

Resolved, that the following gentlemen be requested to act as such:-M. Coomarasamy, Esq., The Rev. D. J. Gogerly, L. Nell, Esq., J. Neitner, Esq., J. De Alwis, Esq.

Resolved, that the following gentleman be elected a Corresponding Member of this Society, Dandries De Silva Gooneratne, Mohandiram of Bentotte.

Proposed by C. Lorenz, Esq.

Seconded by H. Muttukistna, Esq.

Resolved, that the Rev. B. Boake be elected an Ordinary Member of this Society.

Proposed by C. P. Layard, Esq.

Seconded by J. Bailey, Esq.

Mr De Alwis then proceeded to read his Papers, entitled "Native Titles of Address," and "The Attanagalu-wansa." Resolved, that these papers be referred to the Reading Committee.

Mr. Coomarasamy having read a paper entitled a Synopsis of the Saiva Siddántam, or The Religious Philosophy of the Hindoos." Resolved, that it be referred to the Reading Committee for report.

The first Number of the Society's Journal being out of print, and frequent applications being made for the same, it was resolved that Mr. Skeen be requested to reprint it, and to furnish 100 copies to the Society.

JAS. ALWIS,

Assistant Secretary

The Minutes of the last Meeting having been read and confirmed,

Mr. C. P. Layard suggested, that as some of the specimens of Natural History were evidently falling into decay, the Secretary be authorized to incur any necessary charges in maintaining them.

The question having been discussed, it was resolved accordingly.

Resolved, that Messrs. Layard, Nietner, Skeen and Willisford, be appointed a Sub-Committee to arrange and report on the Library and Museum.

L. Leisching, Esq., having been proposed by C. P. Layard, Esq, and seconded by J. Nietner, Esq., was elected an Ordinary Member. F. W. WILLISFORD,

The Minutes of the last Meeting having been read, the Secretary proceeded to read the Report of the Committee for the past year.

The Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society was reorganized in October 1856, and having secured 100ms for its Library and Museum, affording far greater accommodation than had previously been the case, has now 37 resident and 32 non-resident Members. To this number, it is hoped there will be many accessions in the course of the present year.

The return to Ceylon of Mr. Capper, one of the originators of the Society, is an event from which the Committee augur many and permanent benefits. His former services are sufficiently conspicuous to need more than a passing observation. The palmy days of the Society were those in which that gentleman officiated as Secretary with unflagging interest, and the most constant attention. To the same duties he has kindly signified his willingness again to devote his leisure and abilities; and the Committee have the greatest satisfaction in submitting his name as Secretary, among the List of Office-bearers for the ensuing year, conjointly with Mr. Alwis, to whom the Society owes considerable obligation for his present services.

From other causes also, the Committee anticipate for the future more vigorous action in this branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. During the construction of the Railway, and from the contemplated sojourn in the Island of an enlarged Military force, many scientific gentlemen will probably arrive, from whose enlightened research much may be expected, and who will doubtless gladly avail themselves of the facilities afforded by this Society for the prosecution and publication of their investigations.

From the Treasurer's account it will be perceived, that the income of the society for the last 14 months has been £47 ls 9d., exclusive of subscriptions not yet collected. Of the amount already collected, £25 16s. 5d have been expended, leaving a balance of £21 5s. 4d in the Treasurer's hands. Against this balance, however, there is a liability of nearly £14 for house rent, for which as yet no demand has been made; and considering that the purchase of several new works on Oriental Literature is thought desirable, the necessity for increased aid in the way of donations and subscriptions is manifest. Indeed, were it not for the liberality of the Government in permitting the Journal of the Society to be printed free of expense at the Government Press, the funds of the Society could not have borne the outlay necessary for the publication of its papers. This arrangement, however, while it has had the effect of saving considerable expenditure, and has enabled the Committee to issue their Journals in a superior style, is yet attended with some inconvenience, which the Committee hope, with the sanction of the Society, they will shortly be able to obviate. The inconvenience alluded to, is the delay, which from the large amount of work required for Government purposes, necessarily demanding the immediate attention of that establishment, inevitably takes place in the issue of the Society's Journal. To this cause is attributable the nonappearance of a reprint of the first Number of the Society's Journal, which had been resolved upon, and of which copies are not now to be had; and the delay that has arisen in the publication of the fourth Number of the new series, of which only 100 pages have been completed. To remedy this evil,

it is proposed that the Society should engage a Compositor, to be employed under Mr. Skeen upon the papers now in hand, so as to enable him to issue the forthcoming Number at an early date.

Your Committee bring this subject thus prominently before the Society, as they have had several applications for complete sets of the Journals, not only from subscribers, and scientific gentlemen visiting Ceylon, but also from Oriental scholars in England, which they have been unable to comply with, from the cause already stated.

The Journal now in course of publication will contain a larger amount of information than any of its predecessors, and of a character interesting alike to the scholar, the antiquary, and the man of science. It will consist of papers by Mr. Nietner, describing numerous new species of Ceylon Coleoptera ; a Translation of certain chapters of the Mahawanse, describing the magnificent works for irrigation constructed by King Parakkrams Bahoo, A D, 1153-1186, with an Introduction and Notes by Mr. De Zoysa; a Translation of the Attanagalu-wansa, or the life of Sri Sanga Só, with an Introduction and Notes by Mr. J. Alwis; an Essay on Hindu Philosophy, by Mr. M. Coontarasamy; a Paper on the Sinhalese Method of computing Time by the Rev. C. Alwis; and a Paper on Honorary Titles and Modes or Salutation among the Sinhalese, by Mr. J. Alwis:-to which it is proposed to add a Paper on Sinhalese Music by Mr. L. Nell; one on new and interesting species of Nudibranchiate Molluscs, Sea Anemones and Planaria, found in the Harbour of Trincomalie, by Dr Kelaart; and also a paper by Mr. J. Alwis, on the supposed identity between Nágasena, of Budhistical Annals, and Nágajuna, the character who holds a distinguished place in the Rája Tarangini The tinee last papers will be read to the Society, and the Committee have no doubt but they will be found of sufficient interest to be submitted to the Committee of Papers with a view to their publication.

Your Committee desire to bring to the notice of the Society, the state of its Library and Museum

In addition to the Reports and Medals of the Great Exhibition of 1851, entrusted to the Society, the Committee have to acknowledge the presentation by His Excellency the Governor, of sixteen volumes of the original prospectuses of the various exhibitors; the Reports and Medals of the Paris Exhibition, awarded to this Island; and the Report, &c., of the Madras Exhibition. They also beg to acknowledge the receipt of many valuable works in the course of the past year.

These presentations and donations invest your Society with a character and importance which it is desirable to maintain. As the only Literary and Scientific Institution in the Island, the value of its Library cannot be over-estimated. Travellers from several parts of Europe, to some of whom your Committee have lately afforded access, have thankfully acknowledged its worth. And to the Scholar and the Orientalist it affords a fund of knowledge which is elsewhere sought in vain.

In view of these considerations, therefore, your Committee recommend the purchase of all works having reference to Ceylon, with which the Library has not as yet been furnished; and also the acquisition of many Oriental works of undoubted interest and usefulness, among which may be enumerated, several of Professor Wilson's publications, including his Sanscrit Dictionary, and Grammar, and the Lalita Vistra, the legendary Life of Budhu, now being published in the Bibliotheca Indica at Calcutta.

The Society's Museum, the Committee regret to state, has, for some time past, from the want of a Curator, been greatly neglected. This want they hope to remedy, by the appointment to that office of a gentle. man who has signified his willingness to discharge the duties of the appointment until the Society may be in a position to effect better arrangements. Considering how rich Ceylon is in natural productions, it is to be lamented that the funds of the Society will not allow of the appointment of a salaried Curator and Taxidermist.

The Committee see no reason why Ceylon should not, aided by Government, obtain a Museum, similar to those which now flourish in South Africa, and in the Presidencies of India. The report of the former has been forwarded to your Society, by order of His Excellency the Governor of the Cape, with a letter from Mr. Edgar Layard, the Curator, in which he expresses a hope that "the Society may be disposed to sanction a system of mutual exchange."

The Committee would, in conclusion, urge upon the Members individually the desirableness of increased efforts on behalf of the Society.

To the resident Members in Colombo they would recommend the resumption of the Evening Meetings, from which in times past much benefit was derived. In the language of a former Report, they have a sensible influence on the prosperity of the Society, tending as they do, to the opening up of new subjects of enquiry, and generally imparting additional vigour to the efforts of its Members."