PREFACE.

BEING appointed as a member of the Madras Working Com-
mittee, Calcutta International Exhibition, 1883-84, I was
very anxious to make myself as useful as possible, and there-
fore applied for permission to send in a collection of indi-
genous drugs from this Presidency to the Exhibition. The
acceptance of this offer was accompanied with a kind grant
of Rs. 200 from Calcutta, as a pecuniary assistance to my
undertaking. The drugs I forwarded were nearly one thou-
sand (954), and this work was originally intended to be their
Descriptive Catalogue. At the kind recommendation of the
above Committee, the Madras Government, with their usual
benevolence and liberality, ordered the publication of the
Catalogue at their own cost, and I was accordingly directed
to get the work printed at the Government Press. The
following is the G.O. on the subject:—

PUBLIC DEPARTMENT.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE MADRAS GOVERNMENT.

Read the following—

From the Vice-President and Secretary, Madras Committee, Calcutta
Exhibition, dated 7th March 1884, No. 65, C.E.

ORDER THEREON, 21st March 1884, No. 577 Mis.

   With reference to para. 5 of Dr. Bidie's letter read above, the Gov-
ernment will be prepared to bear the cost of publishing the very valu-
able catalogue which Dr. Mohideen Sheriff is now engaged in preparing.

(True Extract.)

FORSTER WEBSTER

Chief Secretary.                                                                      

To the Vice-President and Secretary,

Madras Committee, Calcutta Exhibition.