If this be carefully done, he knows that whether near the coast or far from it, if he be in such a position that the horizontal line and the polar star coincide with the two edges of the board, while that board is held vertically before his eye at the distance indicated by the knot, that he must be in, or close to, the same parallel of latitude as the port at which the first observation was made. It matters not to him whether this be, in our mode of recording the latitude, 10°, or 15°, or 20-all he cares to know, in his rude navigation, is that he is about the same parallel, and that if his destination be north or south of that port, he has only to steer accordingly. Similar observations being repeated at other ports, marks or knots corresponding to these are placed at the proper distances on the cord. These lengths have been determined now by innumerable separate observations, and these substitutes for sextants can be, I am told, purchased with the knots or marks all ready. Careful men test these again, quite as a European Captain would carefully ascertain the Index error of his sextant for himself, however admirably constructed it might be. I am told that a careful man will determine his latitude, as referred to the fixed points or ports on the coast, within 10 to 15 miles, by this very rude substitute for a sextant. I am indebted to the kindness of Stuart Hall, Esq., of the firm of Hall and Syme, Coconada, for the possession of the one I now exhibit. The names of the several ports along the coast are written, or rather incised, on the board in Telugu characters, corresponding in order and number to the knots and marks on the cord. These are 14 in all the more important, Godavery, Madras, Negapatam, are marked on the end by little tufts of coloured cotton thread, red, blue, white. The specimen before the meeting had been in actual use for some years." The President also exhibited to the meeting a very interesting and valuable addition to the collection of Meteorites, in the Geological Museum. This was a beautiful specimen of the fall which occurred near Pultush, about 35 English miles from Warsaw, on the 30th of January in the present year. Several stones fell-the largest is in possession of a private party, the second largest went to the Imperial Mineral collection at St. Petersburg, and the third largest was secured for the Imperial Mineral Cabinet at Vienna. This had been cut for examination, and Dr. M. Hornes had, with his wonted liberality, sent to Mr. Oldham the specimen now exhibited, the second in size of the three pieces into which the whole was divided. It weighs 6 oz. 398 grs. The stone sent to Vienna was perfect, that is, it was covered on all sides with a distinct crust tolerably uniform, and about th of an inch in thickness. The stone, as seen by the fresh fracture and polished surface, belongs to the same general group as several other well known falls. These are all grey, more or less dark, coloured brown locally, with more or less globular portions, distinguished from the rest of the mass by a nearly black colour with much finely divided Iron, a little Pyrites, and probably Troilite. This stone (Pultush) is very similar to that which fell at Gross Divina, Hungary, on July 24th, 1837. The specific gravity is 3.660. 10 The stone belongs to the third class, sporadosidéres,and to the second subdivision of that class, oligosidéres, of Profr. Daubrée's classificationThe receipt of the following communications was announced :— 1. The History of Burma, by Col. Sir A. PHAYRE. Col. Phayre's paper is a continuation of that published in the 32nd volume of the Journal of the Society. In that paper, the author traced the history of the Burma race from the earliest times to the arrival of the two sons of the king of Tagrung at the site of the present town of Prome. The national chronicles from that time proceed with the history of the monarchy established at Tha ré Khél ta rá, to the east of Prome. In the present paper, the author condenses into a brief narrative the principal events of that monarchy and of the succeeding dynasties of Burma kings, which reigned at Pagán, on the Irawaddy river, about 180 miles above Prome. 2. On some new species of Gastropoda from the Southern Provinces of Ceylon, by Messrs G. and H. Nevill. 3. Authors of Armenian Grammars, from the earliest stages of Armenian Literature up to the present day, by J. AVDALL, ESQ. LIBRARY. The following additions were made to the Library since the meeting held in July last ว PRESENTATIONS. The names of Donors in capitals. Brahma dharma.-THE CALCUTTA BRAHMA SAMÁJA. Brahma dharma mata o Visvása.-THE SAME. Dharma síkshá.--THE SAME. Prátyahika Bráhmopásaná.-THE SAME. Brahma stotra.—THE SAME. Prárthaná.-THE SAME. Atmatattva vidyá.—THE SAME. Mághotsava.-THE SAME. Brahma Samája Vaktritá, 3 Nos.—THE SAME. Vedantic Doctrines vindicated.-THE SAME. Selections from several books of the Vedanta by Raja Ráma mohana Ráya.-THE SAME. Several Tracts on Hindu Theism.-THE SAME. The Signs of the Times.-THE SAME. The Theist's Prayer-Book.-THE SAME. The Doctrine of The Christian Resurrection-THE SAME. Proceedings of the Royal Society.-THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. Journal Asiatique, No. 40.-THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF PARIS. Bulletin de la Societé de Géographie; Mai, 1868. -THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF PARIS. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia for 1867.—THE ACADEMY. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Vol. VI. part II.—THE SAME. Les Manuscrits Lampongs en possession de M. le Baron Sloet van der Beele, publiés par H. N. van der Tuuk.-THE AUTHOR. Records of the Geological Survey of India, Vol. I. part I.—THE SUPDT. GEOL. SURV. OF INDIA. Another Copy.-THE GOVT. OF BENGAL, Paleontologia Indica, Vol. V. part 6.-THE SAME. Annual Report of the Lahore Lunatic Asylum for the year 1867.— THE SAME. Report on the Police of the town of Calcutta and its suburbs for 1867.-THE SAME. Note on the importance of the Spectroscopical Examination of the vicinity of the Sun, when totally eclipsed, for the determination of the nature and extent of its luminous atmosphere, and on the partial identity of that atmosphere with the Zodiacal light. By Prof. E. W. Brayley.--THE AUTHOR. A lecture on the life of Rámadulála De, by Girisachandra Ghosa.— THE AUTHOR. The Calcutta Journal of Medicine, Vol. I. No. 6.—THE EDITOR. Padmadúta Kavyam by Siddhanáta Vidyávágisá:-COL. J. C. HAUGHTON. Addresses delivered at the Hitoishini Samája of Cutch Vehara.THE SAME. Prasannarághava Nátaka, edited by Govindadeva Sastri.--THE EDITOR. Grammaire Polyglotte, par Le P. Minas Médici.-J. AVDALL, Esq. PURCHASED. Reise Seiner Majestät Fregatte Novara um die Erde, Botanischer Theil, Band I. Algen. Revue et Magazin de Zoologie, No. 4, 1868. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, No. 6, 1868. Journal des Savants, Avril, 1868. Comptes Rendus, Nos. 16-21, 1868. Revue des Deux Mondes, 15th Mai, 1st June, 1868. Revue Archeologique, V. 1868. Revue Linguistique, Avril, 1868. Les Quatrains de Khéyam, traduits du Persan par J B. Nicolas. Visible Speech, the Science of Universal Alphabetics, by A. M. Bell. EXCHANGE. Athenæum, for May, 1868. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF BENGAL, FOR SEPTEMBER, 1868. A Meeting of the Society was held on Wednesday, the 2nd instant, at 9 o'clock P. M. T. Oldham, Esq., LL. D. President, in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The following presentations have been received since the last meet ing. 1. From Dr. G. King A skeleton of a lion. 2. From the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paris A copy of Collection Orientale, Le Livre des Rois, Vol. VI. 3. From Maulavi Muhammad Zuhúrulhaq— Two copies of a pamphlet, entitled Statistics of Longevity, No. II., by Captain T. C. Anderson, Garrison Barrack-Master, Fort William. The following gentlemen duly proposed and seconded at the last meeting were balloted for, and elected as Ordinary members :Baron von Ernsthausen. R. M. Adam, Esq. E. Ch. van Cutsem, Esq. R. V. Stoney, Esq. C. Lazarus, Esq. The following gentlemen are candidates for ballot at the October meeting :- W. Eddowes, Esq., M. D., Assistant Surgeon, Erinpura Irregular Force. |