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A series of letters sent from Mauritius concerning the setting up of an astronomy observatory. Dated from 1829-1831. Also a copy of the Mauritius Gazette, Saturday 20th June 1829 containing an article on astronomy.

Letter from Charles Colville to Alexander Johnson, to thank him for his letters and to write that he had circulated its contents in the Mauritius Gazette, of which he sends a copy. He writes concerning others who have contacted regarding astronomical observations, of funding astronomical instruments and of setting up a Museum of Natural History on Mauritius. He also sends some more books after Johnston and Baron Humboldt's reception of the Madagascan New Testament. Handwritten, 4 pieces, 15 sides, dated 10 February 1830.

With this letter is a copy of the Mauritius Gazette containing the Notice: "The subjoined Observations are extracted from a Correspondence with the Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society of London, addressed to His Excellency the Governor by the Vice-President of the Royal Asiatic Society, with a view of obtaining the co-operation of Scientific Observers in this hemisphere, in furtherance of the progress of science, and are, therefore, published for this purpose. Port-Louis, 13 June 1829. G.A. Barry, President of the Commission Public Instruction". The subsequent article is printed in both English and French.

A partial manuscript of 'A sketch of the constitution of the Kandyan kingdom' by John D'Oyly, published in the Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 1833, Vol. 3, No. 2 (1833), pp. 191-252. The manuscript was submitted by Sir Alexander Johnston as the most accurate account that had been given to him and therefore worthy of publication in the Journal.