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Archival description
GB 891 SC59 · Fonds · 1837-1839

A set of handwritten copies of Sanskrit inscriptions and some English translations. These include:

  • 'Translation of an inscription found in one of the Palitana Temples of Kattywar (Kathiawar) by Capt. Geo. LeGrand Jacob 1937'. This is the title on a handwritten small blue label. Under the title is written 'Not worth printing, HHW' (Horace Hayman Wilson). The document itself consists of 8 sides - 4 of these are of the translation of the inscription on stone, signed by Jacob and dated 6 February 1837. Under the translation is a further note in a different hand about the lack of historical value of this inscription. The following 3 pages give notes regarding the inscription, again signed by Jacob and dated 24 February 1837. The final page is headed 'Private note' which suggests if published the writer rather than the Society takes responsibility for the content. This is signed J.W.
  • 'Inscription on the most ancient of the Jain Temples at Palitana in Kattywar bearing dates of [Samoat] 1582 for the foundation and 1587 for the completion'. This is signed by George LeGrand Jacob, Government Political Agent, Kattywar. This is a lengthy handwritten inscription in Sanskrit, possible the Sanskrit version of the translation above.
  • 'Sanskrit rendering of Copperplate Inscription found near Palitana in Kattywar (Kathiawar) deciphered by J. Prinsep' with further note 'NB. The plate is incomplete only one leaf of the tablet having been found'. A handwritten copy in Sanskrit of the inscription.
  • 'Translation by Mr J. Prinsep, Sec. of Calcutta As. Soc., of Copper tablet inscription found near the Hill of Palitane in Kattywar' A single sheet of English translation. Further writing on the reverse of the translation indicate it was received by the Royal Asiatic Society in November 1839 and read at their General Meeting on 7 November 1839.
  • Four short Sanskrit inscriptions numbered 1-4 in English numerals and titled '[Biluspoor] (Bilaspur?) near Kutah and indicating they are family documents.
  • A single sheet of a Sanskrit inscription labelled '[Chundrabhagu]'.
  • A large sheet of Sanskrit writing with illegible title in English but probably bearing the number 1216.
  • A large sheet with what appears to be a genealogical table in Sanskrit with accompanying. English translation. The sheet also bears Sanskrit phrases with English translation.
Prinsep James 1799-1840 Secretary, Asiatic Society of Bengal
GB 891 RAS OC11 · Fonds · 1935

Correspondence concerned with the first Congress of the Federation of Learned Societies of North Africa, held at Algiers University from 10-11 June 1935. These are:

  • Letter from Société Historique Algérienne to the President of the Royal Asiatic Society to inform of the first Congress of the Federation of Learned Societies of North Africa and to invite the Royal Asiatic Society to send a representative. The letter informs of the subjects to be discussed. Typed in French, dated 6 February 1935.
  • Letter from Col. Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to The Secretary, Société Historique Algérienne, to apologise for the delay in replying to their letter but he was still waiting to hear of a suitable representative. Typed, dated 13 March 1935.
  • Letter from Professor Henri Pérès to the Royal Asiatic Society to write that is would be an honour to represent the Royal Asiatic Society at the Congress. Handwritten in French, date 15 April 1935.
  • Letter from D.S. Margoliouth, President, Royal Asiatic Society, to Col. Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to enclose the letter from Professor Pérès accepting the invitation to represent the Society at the Congress. Handwritten, dated 22 April 1935.
  • Letter from Col. Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to Professor Pérès to send the official form from the Society for the Congress. Typed, dated 7 May 1935.
  • Letter from Col. Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to the Secretary General, Société Historique Algérienne, concerning the Royal Asiatic Society's representation at the Congress, and to inform that Professor Henri Pérès would represent the Society. Typed, dated 10 May 1935.
Congress of the Federation of Learned Societies of North Africa
GB 891 RAS OC8 · Fonds · 1934

Correspondence and printed material concerned with the "Conference on Official and Non-Official Co-operative Action as suggested by League of Nations Enquiry in the East". These are:

  • Letter from the Joint Standing Committee, British Social Hygiene Council and Conference of British Missionaries, to the Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to enclose particulars of a preliminary conference to be held at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on 25 July 1934. It is designed to bring before those organisations concerned with social work in the Far East, the problem of the traffic in women and their rehabilitation. It is suggested that the Royal Asiatic Society might wish to send a delegate to the conference. Typed with printed letterhead, dated 4 July 1934.
  • "Conference on Official and Non-Official Co-operative Action". Printed leaflet concerning the conference stating its Objects, resolutions to be considered, the Agenda, and listing members of the Joint Standing Committee.
  • Letter from Professor D.S. Margoliouth, President, Royal Asiatic Society, to Col. Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to state that a representative cannot be appointed by the Council since the Society's aims are not philanthropic. However the subject is of interest and therefore he suggests that Hoysted send a list of the addresses of the Council to the Committee so they can be contacted directly. Typed with printed letterhead, dated 7 July 1934. On the reverse he has added a handwritten note concerning exchange of Journals with Professor Braumlich of Leipzig.
  • Letter from Col. Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to the Joint Standing Committee, British Social Hygiene Council and Conference of British Missionaries, to send the Society's regrets that it will not be able to nominate a representative due to the end of the Session, but that he encloses a list of Members of the Society so they can be contacted directly. Typed, dated 9 July 1934.
  • Letter from the Joint Standing Committee, British Social Hygiene Council and Conference of British Missionaries, to Col. Hoysted, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to thank him for the list of addresses and to state that all members of the Council will receive a personal invitation. Typed with printed letterhead, dated 10 July 1934.
British Social Hygiene Council
Chinese-English Dictionary
GB 891 SC6 · Fonds · [1900 - 1940]

Notebook containing Chinese characters, their romanised spellings and their English translations. In some cases these seem to be arranged to work out translations of official documents between Chinese and British authorities. A black soft-cover notebook with lined pages, written in ink and pencil, but with no identifiers.

Untitled
GB 891 SC62 · Fonds · 1897

Two wall-sheets or charts concerned with Chinese Secret Societies in Malaya and their disbandment, created for William Cowan, Protector of Chinese Perak in 1897. These are:

  • A Wall-Sheet of Diplomas of the Secret Societies. These are hand drawn and painted onto paper which has been affixed to cloth measuring 141cm x 89cm. The bottom end of the chart is fixed into a wooden pole which acts to weight it. On the sheet are replicas of the membership diplomas and seals of the various societies with their names and the colour of their emblems written in English. This includes those dissolved in 1890. The top left corner bears the description, 'Towards the end of 1889, proclamations were widely issued in the Straits Settlements, to prepare all classes for the abolition of all Secret Societies, and special notices were given to the Societies registered as Dangerous under the old Ordinance that they would not be registered under the new Ord: No. 1 of 1889 but must wind up their affairs by the 30th June 1889. The Singapore and Penang Societies in 1890 delivered up their chops and books, and Messrs. Powell and Hare were present at the Central Lodge when the headmen of the 6 Triad branches made formal renunciation by the burning of the original diplomas which constituted them part of the mother organisation - the "Gi-Hin"'. The top right corner bears the words, 'Wm Cowan, Protector of Chinese Perak'.

  • A Wall Sheet with a pictorial representation of the Gi Hin rites, together with reproductions of documents and paraphernalia used by the Society, and some of the secret message-signs formed by the arrangement of tea-cups and chopsticks. These have also been drawn and painted on paper affixed to cloth with a pole at its bottom end. It measures 176 cm x 94 cm. At the bottom right corner are the words, 'Wm. Cowan, Ipoh 1897'.

Cowan William
GB 891 SC1 · Fonds · [1798 - 1816]

There are three Chinese documents concerning trade and interaction with the English. With the documents are English abstracts and modern Chinese translations created in 2018.

Sir George Thomas Staunton
China Society
GB 891 OS1 · Fonds · 1931

These papers consist predominantly of correspondence with Henry Thomas Silcock concerning the administration of the China Society in 1931.

Silcock Henry Thomas 1882-1969
GB 891 SC71 · Fonds · [Early 19th century]

A map of the southern coast of China, in the form of a scroll, covering the area of present-day Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi. Labels various major towns and smaller islands along the coast, including Guangzhou, Chaozhou, present-day Hong Kong and Macao and more, with a scale bar and legend. Also indicates locations of settlements and military structures such as towers and forts, with text describing the depth of water and distance from the coast at various points. Measures 40cm high and 485cm wide. The map was removed from its original wooden case which is now kept together.

An accompanying typed note refers the item as 'Ch'ou hai t'u pien' (籌海圖編), No. 429 on page 75 of Samuel Kidd's catalogue and a donation by Sir George Staunton. This catalogue reference appears to be incorrect, as it does not correspond to Kidd's Catalogue of the Chinese Library of the Royal Asiatic Society (1838), but Henry Holt's A Catalogue of the Chinese Manuscript in the Library of the Royal Asiatic Society (1890). However, Holt's entry describes a set of 8 volumes of 'Ch'ou hai t'u pien' published in 1624, instead of a single map, and this scroll could not have been part of the volumes.

It is possible that this map was adapted from those originally published in 'Ch'ou hai t'u pien', with extra information added to it, and was specially made for Staunton. Another source from which this map might have taken reference is 'Ya nhai quan tu' (沿海全圖), part of 'Hai guo wen jian lu' (海國聞見錄), compiled by Chen Lunjiong in 1730.

Unknown
GB 891 SC13 · Fonds · 1792 - 1954

Within the Royal Asiatic Society collections are several lists and catalogues relating to Asiatic material which are not part of the Society's own collections. These have been gathered within this catalogue. They are:

  • 'A Catalogue of Indian Idols, Indian Paintings, Drawings, &c. which were collected by Mr. Simpson, during a long Residence in India in the Company's Service. Which will be Sold by Auction by Mr. Christie, at his Great Room, in Pall Mall, On Saturday, May the 26th, 1792, at Twelve O'clock.' This is a photocopy of the original document.
  • 'List of Oriental Works purchased at Erzerum, translated from the St Petersburg Journal of Dec 20 1829/ Jan 9 1830' - handwritten list.
  • 'Catalogue of moghrebine arabic Manuscripts in the possession of Jakob Graberg of Hemso' - handwritten, dated Florence, 26 April 1830.
  • 'Sale of Dr. A. Clarke's Library: Desirable for the R.A.S.' - handwritten list, undated.
  • 'Catalogue of Malayan Book's by Thomas Beighton - handwritten list, undated.
  • 'List of the Principal Budhistical works from the Pali in Chinese character by Mt Gutzlaff' - handwritten, dated 1845.
  • 'A List of the Oriental Coins preserved in the British Museum, B. Dorn' - handwritten list, undated.
  • 'Catalogue of Malay books the property of Inchi Mahomed' - handwritten list, undated.
  • 'Catalogue of the Chinese Library of University College, London' - handwritten volume, dated to 1885.
  • 'List of lithographed Malay texts in the alphabetical catalogue of Leiden University Library under Kikayat and Shair' - handwritten list, 2 sides, undated, post 1900.
  • Lists of Indonesian Manuscripts compiled by Petrus Voorhoeve between 1950 and 1954. These are: 'Some notes on Indonesian MSS in the Bodleian Library, Oxford'; 'List of Indonesian Manuscripts in the University Library, Cambridge'; 'List of Indonesian manuscripts in India Office Library, Commonwealth Relations Office, London'; List of Indonesian Manuscripts in the Library of the School of Oriental and African Studies, London'; 'Indonesian Manuscripts in the British Museum'. These are typed with some handwritten annotations, 51 pieces.
Dorn Bernhard Johann Albrecht 1805-1881
GB 891 SC43 · Fonds · 1829

A catalogue with Japanese titles and Dutch and English explanations of the items collected by J.G.F. Van Overmeer Fisscher whilst stationed for ten years at Nagasakki, the Dutch factory in Japan. This is a handwritten manuscript which begins with the title 'Nipon of Japan' and the Japanese alphabet. This is followed by an explanatory introduction, in Dutch, by Overmeer Fisccher in which he records how he came to own the objects; that the catalogue just provides a brief description of the objects along with some translations appended to the literature and antiquities; and that he is donating his collection to the 'Netherland Academy'. The introduction is signed Van Overmeer Fisscher and dated Batavia, 10 August 1829. Thereafter follows a series of lists including for geography, linguistics, antiquities, and musical instruments. Some parts have explanations in both English and Dutch entries but many lists are just in Dutch.

The manuscript is bound in a leather and marbled cover bearing the Royal Asiatic Society's logo on the spine, indicating that binding or rebinding occurred after its donation. The spine also bears the title 'Japanese Dutch-English Word-Book' suggesting that the identity of the manuscript was unknown when the binding took place.

Overmeer Fisscher Johannes F. van 1800-1848