REPORT

OF THE

COUNCIL OF THE CHINA BRANCH

OF THE

ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY,

FOR THE YEAR 1883.

Ar the Annual Meeting held on the 27th February 1883, the following gentlemen were elected Office Bearers for the year:

E. B. DREW, Esq., President.

Jos. HAAS, Esq.,

F. HIRTH, Esq., PH. D.

} Vice-Presidents.

T. S. SOUTHEY, Esq., Hon. Sec. and Treasurer.

E. ROBINSON, Esq., Hon. Librarian.

H. L. SMITH, Esq., M.D., Hon. Curator of Museum.
G. JAMES MORRISON, ESQ.,

THO. W. KINGSMILL, ESQ.,

M. SLEVOGT, Esq.,

C. DEIGHTON-BRAYSHER, Esq.,

Councillors.

During the month of November, Dr. H. L. Smith resigned the curatorship of the Museum, owing to his departure from Shanghai; the vacancy was filled by Mr. J. W. Wilson.

Six general meetings of the Society were held during the year, and the following papers were read :

1.-9th January, "What did the Ancient Chinese know about Rome and Greece?" By Dr. J. Edkins.

2.-27th February, "A Corean Manuscript of the 17th Century, relating to the manners and customs of that Country." Translated by Monsieur F. Scherzer.

3.-17th April, "Researches into the Physical Geography

and Geology of Formosa." By Mr. G. H. J. Kleinwächter.

4.-8th November, "The Relative Claims of Buddhism and Confucianism to be considered the Religion of China, and the number of Buddhists in the World." By the Rev. A. P. Happer, D.D.

5.-22nd November, "Some Notes of a trip to Corea in July and August, 1883." By Mr. G. James Morrison. 6.-3rd December, "Notes on a recent journey to Szechuen, and on the leading geological features of the Yangtse Valley." By Mr. A. J. Little.

One corresponding member, and nine ordinary members were elected during the year; six members resigned.

There were on the list of the Society on the 31st December 1883, 14 honorary, 27 corresponding, and 138 ordinary members.

The Council regret having to record the death of two members, viz: Mr. A. Sim who died at Shanghai on the 18th January, and Mr. E. P. Hague who died at Cannes on the 8th December.

It is worthy of note that the meetings of 1883 were better attended, and greater interest evinced in the papers that were read than has been the case for some time past.

Of the three volumes to be re-printed, one is completed and will be sent out to subscribers and exchanges immediately. The re-printing of the remaining two volumes has not yet been commenced, as the printers were fully occupied with the Journal for 1883, but the Council are now endeavouring to make such arrangements as will enable them to complete at an early date the re-publication of the two volumes out of print, without interference with the publication of the annual volumes. The Council have to apologise for the late appearance of the Report for 1882, which is now ready for distribution. The first part of the Journal for 1883 is nearly completed and

the Council are glad to report that they have sufficient papers in hand to commence at once with the printing of the Journal.

Subjoined are the Treasurer's, and the Librarian's Reports.

1.-A Report by the Curator, prepared in September 1884, will also be found subjoined to the reports named above.-Editorial Committee.

Treasurer's Report.

To the President and Council of the

CHINA BRANCH OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, Gentlemen,

I have much pleasure in rendering an account of the financial condition of the Society for the year 1883 now ended.

From the enclosed "Statement of Receipts and Expenditure," it will be seen that on the 1st January 1883, the Society was credited with the sum of $120.66, and that during the year the receipts amounted to $861.29, and were derived from the usual annual subscriptions, sale of Journals, rent from the Shanghai Library, etc. The expenditure amounted to $723.52; and the balance added to the amount brought over from last account leaves the sum of $258.43 in favor of the Society on the 31st December 1883.

I may mention that under the heading "Expenditure" the sum of $94.70, paid to Messrs. Noronha & Sons for printing, stood over from last year's account, and that $96.41 have been paid out in repairs to the premises.

The cost of re-printing Journal Vol. V., of 1868, which amounted to $379.60 is a large item in the expenditure, but a portion of this sum will be refunded later on or as soon as the Hon. Librarian has collected the subscriptions for re-printing those journals now out of print.

With regard to the Museum, the accounts will show that the sum of $106.62 stands to its credit on the 31st December 1883. I regret that the funds have admitted of only one year's interest on the loan borrowed from the Recreation Fund being paid, as the interest to date is still three years in

arrears.

I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant,

T. S. SOUTHEY,

Hon. Sec. & Treasurer, C. B. of the R. A. S.

Shanghai, 31st January 1884.

Tls. 100
$ 5.00

137 00

RECEIPTS.

To Balance from last Account

Dr. Bretschneider, for Journals about to be

888

Municipal and other Taxes...

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...

58

43

2,500