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This volume contains copies of, or extracts from, letters sent to the Royal Asiatic Society between 1846 and 1852. They are written into a leather-bound volume with the title 'Extracts' on its front cover. Besides the letters which cover 93 pages, there are subsequently some rough pencil notes and a diagram in a different hand (possibly a child's) followed by blank pages and an index at the end of the manuscript.

Drafts of papers delivered at General Meetings of the Society. These are:

• 'Translation of a Chinese Inscription found on a Rock at Kulangsu (Gulangyu)' by George Tradescant Lay, read at the General Meeting, 15 November 1845, 14 pages + paper wrapper.
• Paper on the cultivation of cotton and sugar by William McClelland, read 7 November 1846, with accompanying letter from W. Corgill, dated 18 May 1846, 17 pages.
• Notes on the progress of the native printing press in India, with reference to a list of periodicals and other works printed at the presses of Delhi and Bareilly with the list and translation by John Dowson. Read By H.H. Wilson, 2 December 1848, 23 pages.
• Notes on the Ruins at Gwalior by Lieutenant Thomas Briggs, read 20 November 1852 when Briggs showed a volume of drawings of the architecture of the temples visited by him at Gwalior and Badami, 8 pages + paper wrapper.
• Paper relating to the use by the Chinese government of the Chinese word for barbarian, read by Edwin Norris from documents communicated by the Foreign Office, 4 December 1852, 13 pieces + paper wrapper.
• Notes on the low caste Mangs of Kolhapoor (Kolhapur); an extract of a report by Lieutenant C. Barr, dated 1 January 1852. This was communicated by Colonel Sykes and read 4th June 1853, printed 10 pages.
• Extracts from letters received from Colonel Henry Rawlinson concerning the kings cited in an inscription. Two pieces, undated but probably dating to 1852-4 when the Assistant Secretary of the Royal Asiatic Society read several such extracts at the General Meetings.
• Description of the Drawings of Buddha and a Pagoda, presented to the Society by the First King of Siam (Thailand) on 23 July 1857. The original description is dated 26 May 1854. The paper was read by the President, H.H. Wilson, at the meeting of 2 January 1858, 8 pages.
• Paper entitled 'A Sketch of Buddhist mythology as represented in Chinese sheet-tract' read by Joseph Edkins, 22 January 1859, 7 pages.
• Papers relating to the inscriptions on two swords given to the Queen by the widow of Major Hodson, but displayed at the Royal Asiatic Society on 6 April 1861, 5 pieces.

Letter from Richard Clarke, Secretary, to Major Rawlinson, Baghdad, to send copies of Journal of Royal Asiatic Society via Mr Stirling c/o Foreign Office, which because of the importance of his work are provided free. However, if he wishes to join Society 'on other grounds' the cost would be 5 guineas as a non-resident member. (Found on page 62)

Letter from Mr Peal, Collector, to H.L Rawlinson, Chipping Norton, concerning Major Rawlinson of Baghdad wishing to change his status from honorary corresponding member to contributing non-resident member. Mr Rawlinson will pay Major Rawlinson's annual fee of 5 guineas. (Found on page 67)

'Extract from a letter from Major Rawlinson to Mr (Edwin) Norris, dated Baghdad, 7 December 1846' in which he writes of his discovered inscriptions that their language is different to Babylonian though written in Babylonian characters. He thinks Assyrian is a connecting link and that old Egyptian may aid in deciphering. He is waiting for mail to come from Syria and hopes there will be something from Norris on the Babylonian excavations.

'Extract from a letter addressed to Mr(Edwin) Norris by Major Rawlinson, dated Baghdad, 27 November 1846' in which he writes of inscriptions - that he thinks they may be relatively easy to interpret but that the language seems to be a compound of Turkish and Armenian and the names are apparently historical Kings of Armenia. He also writes of the progress of the excavations at Nineveh.