'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎53] (74/458)

OFFICE BEARERS FOR 1851-52.
xlxiii
Consented for the limited scheme then in contemplation : to the more extended scheme to which
the Admiralty had proposed to contribute, Government undertook to give all the assistance
in their power? the charge of further instruments to fall on the Admiralty grant.*
Mr Leech would be of great value in the management of any of the observatories at the
station originally agreed upon by Government, the arrangements of which had not as yet been
completed ; or should the Imaum of Muscat agree to assist in the researches in which the
Society were engaged, Mr Leech would be of the utmost assistance at Zanzibar, from which
he might visit Johanna, and arrange for the observations the Society had there contem
plated. It was agreed that Government should be written to, expressing the gratification
experienced by the Society at the confidence Government showed they had reposed in them
and suggesting that it would be more expedient to transfer the entire amount of Rs. 3000
allowed for the publication of observations, to the treasurers of the Society, so that it might
be drawn on as required, than to present printing accounts to Government as they fell due.
In reference to the letter of Commodore Lushington, it was moved by W. E. Frere f
Esq., seconded by Captain P T'French, and agreed to unanimously—
“ That the Society have received with deep regret Commodore Lushington’s resignation of the
office of Vice-President, and withdrawal from the Society, and in communicating their
sentiments to Commodore Lushington, express the hope that though withdrawn from their
body, he will continue to favor them with that assistance which they had already received,
and which his high office enabled him to furnish.”
The Secretary stated that he had not had leisure to go over the whole mass of papers pre
sented to them by Government for many of which he believed they were indebted to their late
President but such of them as he had read seemed of the greatest value. The papers connected
with the Red Sea in particular, though seventeen years old, were in no way out of date,
nothing having since then been written on the subject : they would go some way to remove'
a want that had afforded frequent subject of complaint, and would form valuable companions
to the charts they had lately received from Government. They would show, besides, the
nature and amount of information still required, and enable the Society to get filled up by
degrees the blank space in our accounts in reference to those localities which had so long and
so often been traversed. The papers amongst them would go far to form an entire number
of their Transactions.
The ordinary business of the Society having been disposed of, that of the Annual Meeting
was taken up. On examining the voting lists, the following were declared the office-bearers
for the ensuing year :
List of Office Bearers for 1851-52.
y toe Jt'resiaems.
Colonel P.M. MelvUl; Captain J. C. Hawkins, I. N.; and the Hon’ble D. A. Blane, Esq.
12 Resident Members.
nia!L C “in s ; TT^'/' Tr\t *' DiCkinS ° n ’ ESq ' 5 P ' T ' French = Com -
Smith Fsn • X- ' , l00re; Co!onel J'Holland; Dr. J. McLennan; John
’ q ’’ Norman Oliver, Esq. ; Captain J, Estridge; John Ritchie, Esq.
voL XlTn! XUV C : l0 rl“ letter ’ Para 2 ’ ‘ St -Transactions of the Soc iety
subject on the 25th March 18V 0 b 0 urthTth reme i mber j thatthey addreSSed Government <>"
and agents should h - 4 ’ b h ^ lndloated > as was understood, that the instruments
found rovcr r Provided by Government.)' * * * * Para 8 If Agents can be
appropriate tTuT' endeavour to make their services available, and to construct and
appropriate to their use such buildings as may be wanted./’