Indian Antiquary Vol 03

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 72

58
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[FEBRUARY, 1874.
It was not until 1861 that a memorandum, Indian antiquities must remain one-sided and addressed to Lord Canning by General (then fragmentary, as hitherto. With regard to the Colonel) A. Cunningham, drew once more the last-named Presidency, the Council cannot but attention of the Government to this important regret that the Government of India did not subject, when, in accordance with an admirablo comply with the earnest request of General minute of the Governor-General, the systematic Cunningham, conveyed in his official letter of investigation of the Archäological remains of February 7th, 1871, that Mr. Burgess should be Northern India was resolved upon, and the work appointed Archæological Surveyor of the Bombay entrusted to General Cunningham. The four Presidency. Had the services of that accomplished years succeeding his appointment were spent by antiquarian been engaged, not only would most that officer in carrying out the programme laid | important information have been obtained, but, as down in his memorandum, viz. the survey of all General Curiningham points out, a fit person might the principal interesting places of Northern India; have been secured to succeed him hereafter as and a report on the operations of each season was Director of the Archaeological Survey of India. submitted to Government and printed for official | The Council are glad to learn from the recent circulation. In 1870 & still wider measure, the publications of the Asiatic Society of Bengal that L'eneral Archæological Survey of India, was General Cunningham has transferred to that determined upon by the Indian Government; Society a large number of miscellaneous inscripand General Cunningham was again called upon tions collected by him during his recent tours, to take charge of this important undertaking, and they hope that the partial explorations lately and returned to India for that purpose in the made by Mr. Broadley in the classic district of autumn of 1870. As yet the only result has been Behar will be further prosecuted by means of the the republication, with plans and other illustrations, larger resources at the General's command. of the General's previous reports; and this, the Mr. Burgess continues to conduct the Indian Council are aware, has occasioned disappointment Antiquary.withundiminished success. That period to many who had looked to the reinstalment of ical has now reached its 16th number, and conthis distinguished archæologist as promising the tains a series of valuable papers on subjects prompt exploration of new fields and the collection connected with the antiquities and literature of of fresh materials for comparison and study. It India. During the past month the Government of is now understood that the General is preparing Dutch India has presented to the Council, through for the press & report comprising his explora- the Batavian Society of Arts and Sciences, a collec. tions of various places in the Gangetic Valley tion of upwards of 300 excellent photographs repreduring the cold season of 1871-2. This report, senting part of the antiquities of Java. In 1862 the which is to form the third volume of the series, late Rev. J. F. G. Brumund was, at the suggeswill contain forty-seven plates; whilst a fourth tion of the Batavian Society, appointed by the volume will consist of two reports on Agra and Dutch Government to survey, and furnish a deDelhi, with seventeen plates, by General Cunning- tailed account of the Hindu remains in Java. This ham's Assistants, Messrs. Beglar and Carlleyle. important undertaking was unfortunately cut short The publication of these volumes having been in the following year by the untimely death of provisionally sanctioned in February last, they the reverend gentleman. He left, however, a may apparently be expected in this country before highly interesting account of several of the most the end of the year; and it is hoped they will add important monuments, which was afterwards pubconsiderably to our knowledge of the antiquities
lished in vol. xxxiii. of the Verhandelingen van het of these countries.
Bataviaasch Genootschap (1868). Shortly after, The Council, however, observe with regret that Heer van Kinsbergen was entrusted with the task the operations of the Survey have hitherto been con- of reproducing by accurate photographs the most fined to the single party directed by General Oun. interesting and characteristic of these monuments, ningham himself, and occupied only in exploring in detail and from a scientific point of view. The the valley of the Ganges, one of the best-known and collection, of which a copy has now reached Eng. most frequented provinces of India. Nothing has land, is the first instalment of a series which apparently been done to investigate the antiquities when finished will furnish an excellent and pretty of the recently acquired Central Provinces, and the completo view of the pre-Muhammadan remains still more terræ incognitæ of the Nizam's territories; in Java. The same gentleman is at present and, so far as can be ascertained, no steps have been engaged in reproducing the splendid and extentaken to survey either the Madras or Bombay sive remains in the residency of Radu, generally Presidencies, without which the knowledge of known under the name of Boro-Budur, after which
• See p. 62.