These Papers consist of the handwritten manuscript by William Cullen of his "Memorandum by Major-General Cullen addressed to the Madras Government, on the 5th December 1843." In this memorandum Cullen sets out his ideas for district museums to house rock specimens and other details of the areas of interest to science and agriculture. He also lays out his suggestions that all engineers should carry barometers with them and make use of them for assessing altitudes, which can help in decisions regarding navigation, irrigation and transport communication. The memorandum consists of 30 foolscap written sides and a further endpaper with identifying label, all tied with green ribbon.

Correspondence with Rao Bahadur, Professor Dr. S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Editor of "Journal of Indian History", Madras. These are:

Letter from Colonel Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to Professor Aiyangar to ask, on behalf of the President and Council, whether he would represent the Society at the Eighth All-India Conference. Dated 10 May 1935.

Letter from Professor Aiyangar to Colonel Hoysted to accept the representation of the Society at the conference. Dated 5 June 1935.

Letter from Colonel Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to Professor Aiyangar to thank, on behalf of the President and Council, Aiyangar's acceptance as a delegate, and to send a form of presentation signed by the President. Dated 24 June 1935.

"Diary Commencing October 20th 1825" by "Mr Rowlandson", the date when he departed from Madras (Chennai) heading for Bengal. They departed from Bengal on 8 December 1825. The diary marks the latitude and longitude each day and journals things seen and thoughts about the experience as he sails for England. Includes some sketches of land formations that he has seen, and additional notes in the margins. After completing this journal, he then restarts using the notebook in 1887 to write copies of letters and sermon notes. The final page has a musical composition dated 29 March 1826. Handwritten, hardback journal.

Sacra Privata of M J Rowlandson in which he records his prayers and spiritual thoughts. The book is written from front and reverse dating from 1830-1867 and includes both his time in India and back in England. Some pages have been cut out, some additional notes inserted including memorial notice of the deaths of two of his daughters in 1858. Handwritten leather bound journal.

Copies of official documents and letters:

• Appointment to act as Govt. Agent in 1836
• Translates of suspected Arabic and Persian Papers intercepted on disaffected Arabs
• Letter to Hon'ble J. Sullivan on Public Instruction
• Memorandum on Govt. Education Madras Presidency
• Minute to A.D. Campbell, Res. Men College Board
• Extract Minute of Consultation Captn Rowlandson Service Government Agent at Chepauk
• Notes as Persian Interpreter on words Arabic [Mookher]
• Memorandum Case Azeem on Aifa Begum and Supreme Court
• To Private Secretary Madras University
• Memo on Guardianship of Niwaub
• Abstract Hon'ble Court of Directors Orders of September 2nd 1846

• Examination in Persian Military Officers

  From verso: "Translation of Arabic Charms", "Remarks on Mahomedans of S India", Abstract of lending axioms of Mahomedan Law", "Abstract of political Relations of British India with native tribes etc.", "Abstract of land principles Mahomedan law. - titles of articles listed in verso of book which contains these and further articles and notes regarding British India and translations.

  Handwritten leather bound journal. Several items were inserted into the journal. These have been removed in order to preserve them better, but their original locations are marked within the journal.

• 1. Hindustani Examination May-1861. Paper No. 2, 1 item
• 2. Memo of supposed casualties discovered from 8 Decr 1842 to 8 Aug 1846, 1 item
• 3. Notes and tables concerning Rowlandson's work including "!Tabular Statement of Reports and Letters dispatched by Several Gov agents and Paymaster [ ] Stipends at Chepauk... ", "Statement of Service" for M J Rowlandson, 8 items.
• 4. Newspaper cutting from The Circulator and address label, 2 items
• 5. Letter to Lieutenant Campbell recommending Arabic works, dated 8 December 1848, 1 item
• 6. "Mahomedans and their habits and languages and laws...", 1 item
• 7. Letter to Rowlandson to thank for books sent, handwritten, dated 19 August 1946; and note concerning document No. 604, 8 December 1843; 2 items

The Madras Literary Society became allied to the Royal Asiatic Society in 1830. This material was gathered from the interaction between the two societies. These are:

• "Translations of the Three Inscriptions/ old Telugu Character/ on the Five Copper Plates presented to the Madras Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 30th January, 1831".
• Translations of the inscriptions with explanatory notes, handwritten, 1 piece, 4 sides.
• Letter from the Honorary Secretary, Madras Literary Society, to the Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to give the name, Mr M. Ruthnasamy as the Corresponding fellow. Typed, dated 16 September 1941.
• Letter from the Honorary Secretary, Madras Literary Society, to the Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to give the name and address of the President of the Society. Typed, dated 24 October 1941.
• Letter from the Honorary Secretary, Madras Literary Society, to the Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to give the name, Professor M.D. Altokar as the Corresponding Fellow. Typed, dated 3 December 1941.
• Letter from the Honorary Secretary, Madras Literary Society, to Miss D Crawford, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to inquire regarding the association between the two societies. Typed, dated 20 February 1968.
• Note from R. Loewe, University College, London, concerning a paper that he had thought was about the Madras Literary Society. Handwritten, dated 5 April.
• Letter from Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to he Honorary Secretary, Madras Literary Society, to ask, on behalf of the Council, for the Madras Literary Society to send an account of their activities for the Council to assess if the link between the two societies can be resuscitated. Typed, dated 11 April 1968.
• "Madras Literary Society and Auxiliary of Royal Asiatic Society (Est. 1812)" - leaflet concerning the history and current activities of the Society. Printed, dating between 1982 -1988.
• Letter from Radm M Raman, General Secretary, Madras Literary Society, to Professor Anthony Stockwell, President, Royal Asiatic Society, to send their society's best wishes as the Royal Asiatic Society moves into its new accommodation. Typed, dated 8 August 2006.
• Letter from Camilla Willemse Larsen, Executive Officer, Royal Asiatic Society, to Radm M Raman, General Secretary, Madras Literary Society, in response to his letter, to express gratitude for their kind words. Typed, dated 24 August 2008.

This material contains 4 handwritten notebooks and a letter concerning their donation.

Letter from Captain Thomas John Newbold to Richard Clarke, Secretary of the Royal Asiatic Society, submitting no.2 of his Summary of the Geology of South India and asking Clarke to forward it to Colonel Sykes for his perusal and correction before it is read at the Society or published in the Journal. Newbold will further more Papers in due time. He asks Clarke whether he likes the new President of the Society, Lord Auckland. Newbold writes that Walter Elliot at Madras is trying to revive their Journal and that he has been sent a copy of the Bombay Journal. He also writes about further work in which he is employed.

Letter from Captain Thomas John Newbold to Richard Clarke, Secretary of the Royal Asiatic Society, enclosing "a drawing, by Mr Critchton the architect at Jerusalem of some curious tombs we discovered a few miles to the N.E of Jerusalem … called by the Arabs … Tombs of the Amalekites." Newbold hopes to also send an account of them to Clarke. He also asks Clarke to edit his paper on the country inland of the Coast of Tyre and Sidon. The drawing is included with the letter and has a picture of the tombs on one side, and an example of the stonework of the tombs on the reverse.

Letter from Captain Thomas John Newbold to Richard Clarke, Secretary of the Royal Asiatic Society, enquiring as to the fate of various papers which he had sent to the Society during the previous year. He offers to send copies of the work on names of the planets with which the Brahmins are conversant stating that he believes Mr Whish's text is accurate. He asks that if his papers on Syria and Asia are not to be printed then could they pleased be returned to him. He also writes that he has abundant more Syrian material. Newbold's list of papers has been annotated in pencil according to whether they had been read, published or neither.