ings "being dug off, scraped, and knocked off with iron instruments;" and, speaking of the beauty of the paintings, says-" There is nothing in India like them. They give glimpses of a former world; but, alas! how industriously these valuable and beautiful remains have been by violence destroyed!" The authors of these outrages secured a head or arm, for the special entertainment of their friends at home, at a cost to science-who shall estimate it?

Another gentleman who visited the caves in 1806, speaks of "the yard lengths of painted and written inscriptions which were then laying on the floor but were still legible. The boar spear of the hunter or the gothic curiosity of casual visitors will strip whole walls for the sake of securing some one favourite 'head.' He found in Bombay whole groups that had been thus despoiled.

We believe that the fresco paintings of Ajunta are the only ones that are known to exist at present, though they were probably very common in the days of Buddhist ascendancy, if a passage in the Mahawanso be rightly translated. Every figure is, therefore, precious to the archæologist in throwing light upon the manners and customs of the times which they depict, as well as upon circumstances of national intercourse. From what little is known of them, we apprehend that they will contribute a good deal in the way of collateral evidence to solve the problem of Buddhism versus Brahmanism, and to trace the relations of the former with the types of Egyptian and Assyrian civilisation, from which probably it was an off-shoot. It is in that direction we may hope to discover the connecting link which binds Indian antiquity with the antiquities of nations more familiar to us. The identification of Chandragupta with the Sandracottus of the Greeks was one such link: we require many more before the chain is even shadowed out.

Whatever the amount of damage done to the temples before Capt. Gill's arrival, and we sincerely trust that it has been over-estimated, it is to be hoped that Government will take warning by it, to impress upon its local officers that if they have no sympathy with such researches, nor anxiety to promote them, they should at least take such ordinary precautions in the execution of the orders with which they are entrusted, as will prevent the wanton destruction which appears to have taken place on the present occasion.

[We are glad to find by the last mail that the report of the injury done to these temples is not borne out. We annex an extract from a letter addressed to the Editor of the Calcutta Star on the subject:-]

"The measures contemplated by Government were confided to me by the Brigadier commanding the division, and which amounted to nothing more than clearing out a large quantity of earth accumulated inside these caves, and removing the wasps' nests, which hitherto had almost precluded the entrance of visitors, opening pathways to their fronts, and finally placing two Bheels watchmen to prevent injuries similar to those you describe in a subsequent paragraph. If your correspondent intends to convey the idea that these caves have sustained the smallest injury subsequent to my undertaking their clearing out, I beg in the most unqualified manner to contradict him.

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66

"I am, &c.

B. JOHNSTON,

Captain, Com. H. H. Nizam's Hill Rangers and Bheel Agent. Camp, Aurungabad, 8th July, 1845."

STATISTICS OF VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.

Return of Produce in the District of Launceston, for the years ending 31st December, 1843 and 1844 :

Average prices of Produce for the years 1843 and 1844, in the District of Launceston :

Return of Stock in the District of Launceston, for the years ending 31st December, 1843 and 1844:

Vessels launched and registered at Launceston, in 1844 :

Produce of the Launceston fisheries, for 1844 :

Messrs. Henty & Co., 1 ship, 3 boats: 50 tuns black oil, 2 tons whalebone. Mr. H. Reed, 1 ship, 3 boats: 100 tuns black oil, 4 tons whalebone.

Return of Manufactories in the district of Launceston, up to the 31st December, 1844 :

One salt manufactory, Whirlpool Reach.
One flour water mill, Launceston.
One steam flour mill, Launceston.

One steam flour mill, East Tamar.

One water flour mill, West Tamar.

One water flour mill, Pattersons' Plains.

Account of Manufactures and Trades in operation in the District of Launceston:

Agricultural Implement Makers.-Mr. Tucker, Mr. Edgecumbe,
Mr. M'Donald, Mr. Feutrill, Mr. Shaw, Mr. Beveridge.
Brewers.-Messrs. Button & Waddell, Mr. Turner, Mr. Fawns,
Mr. Childs, Mr. Lukin, Mr. Hearne, Mr. Westcombe.
Candle Manufacturers.-Mr. Farrell, Mr. Green, Mr. Upton.
Coopers. Mr. Gullen, Mr. Bashan, Mr. Hogden, Mr. Ferguson,
Mr. Laird.

Coach Makers.-Mr. Stewart, Mr. Mason, Mr. Shaw.

Dyer.-Mr. Hill.

Fellmongers.-Mr. Regan, Mr. Button, Mr. Mason.

Millers. Mr. Yates, Mr. Grant, Mr. Tucker, Mr. Guillan,
Mr. Inall.

Potter.-Mr. D. Hayes.

Sail Maker.-Mr. Gibbons.

Shipwright.-Mr. Gibbons.

Tanners.-Mr. Button, Mr. Mason, and Mr. Regan.

Return showing Rates of Wages per diem to Mechanics in the District of Launceston :

Bricklayers, 5s. 6d.; joiners, 5s.; carpenters, 5.; masons and cut-
ters, 5s. 6d.; builders, 5s. 6d. ; plasterers, 5s.; painters, 6s.;
plumbers, 8s.; quarrymen, 4s. 6d.

Number, Name, Situation, and Produce of Mines, Quarries, &c., in the District of Launceston :

One limestone quarry, Middle Arm, West Tamar; produce 20,000
bushels: value, at 10d. per bushel, £833 6s. 8d.

One limestone quarry, West Arm, West Tamar, not worked.
One freestone quarry, Stoney Creek, 170 tons, value £85.
One ditto, Reibey's Ford, not worked.

Value of Imports at the Port of Launceston during the years 1843 and 1844, distinguished quarterly, the places whence imported, and the amounts of duties collected :

New Zealand.

48 12 0