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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'.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Copies, transcripts and translations of Indian stone and copperplate inscriptions made by George Legrand Jacob. Each inscription is labelled as to its location. These include: Edicts of Ashoka, and other inscriptions, Junagadh, Girnar Hills. Inscription on a copperplate dug up near the Machchhu River, Gujarat. Inscriptions from the "Geernan" Temple. Inscription from a black marble slab in an old well within Mangrol. Inscriptions at the Somnath Temple, Prabhas Patan. Inscriptions from temple at "Billawal". Inscription taken from the [Tulao of Ooua]. Inscriptions on copper plate dug at [Neroor] in he Korodal Division of the [Sawunt Waree] State. April 1848 with transcriptions in Balbodhy and translation into English.

These are contained within a bound volume with red leather covering. Please note the frond board has come away from the spine.

A copy of the inscription from the stone tablet depicting a pair of phoenixes amongst peonies, overshadowed by a wutong tree, The original tablet was carved in the late nineteenth century and still survives at Baidi Cheng, an islet in the Yangzi River near Fengjie town in Sichuan, immediately west of narrow Qutang Gorge. The inscription tells how Baidi Cheng, White Emperor City, was founded by the first-century general Gongsun Shu and named after the dragon-like swirls of white mist which gathered about a well there. It also recalls how Bao Chao [跑超], retreated to Baidi Cheng and practised calligraphy. Bao Chao is also identified as the creator of the picture.

The copy of the inscription is on tracing paper and is a copy of the complete inscription but none of the surrounding image.

The original envelope in which it was found has been kept with the inscription. Addressed to the Librarian of the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society it has been annotated by hand with details of the book in which the inscription was found and dating this discovery to 12 September 1972.

Four rubbings of the inscription on the Nestorian (Xi'an) Stele, China. This Tang Chinese stele, erected in 781, which documents 150 years of early Christianity in China. It is a limestone block 279 centimetres (9 ft 2 in) high with text in both Chinese and Syriac describing the existence of Christian communities in several cities in northern China. The four rubbngs are of:

• Heading - 40 x 40 cm
• Facing front side - 200 x 90 cm
• Left side thickness of the stone - 200 x 30 cm
• Right side thickness of the stone - 200 x 30 cm

With the rubbings is an explanation of them sent by Jacob Ghazarian.

A copy of the "Order of the Coronation of His Highness Sir Hisamud-din Alam Shah, K.C.M.G., Sultan of Selangor'. The printed pamphlet gives details of the order of events from 25-28 January 1939 with a full description of the Order of the Ceremony of the Crowning. Written in English and Malay in Arabic script.

With the programme is a letter from W.O. Skeat to Sir Richard Winstedt, dated 5 October 1954, in which he writes that Dr. Laidlaw found it difficult to decide whether to give the programme to the Royal Asiatic Society or the British Museum. Skeat was asked his preference and he favoured the Royal Asiatic Society, so it was therefore to be considered the Society's possession.

"Diccionario Grandonico Malabar Portvguez" - a dictionary of Malayalam and Sanskrit words written in Malayalam script, explained in Portugese. The title page is printed and dates the book to Verapoly, 1745. A Malayalam and English inscription on the title page states that the book was purchased by Lieut. M.S. Osbourne from J. de Santos, Sheristadar, of Tellicherry Adaulatt, in 1795. The volume is bound with marbled cover. The front board is loose from the spine. With the book is a typed label with an identifying description.