Page:Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society - Volume 1.djvu/25

purposes whatsoever, as any other of our liege subjects, or any other body politic and corporate, in our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, not being under any disability, might do in their respective concerns. And we do hereby grant our especial licence and authority unto all and every person and persons, bodies politic and corporate (otherwise competent), to grant, sell, alien, and convey in mortmain unto, and to the use of the said Society, and their successors, any messuages, lands, tenements, or hereditaments, not exceeding such value as aforesaid. And our will and pleasure is, that our first Commissioner, for the time being, for the Affairs of India, shall be a Vice-Patron of the said body politic and corporate. And we further will, grant, and declare, that there shall be a general meeting of the members of the said body politic and corporate, to be held, from time to time, as hereinafter is mentioned; and that there shall always be a council to direct and manage the concerns of the said body politic and corporate, and that the general meetings and the council shall have the entire direction and management of the same, in the manner, and subject to the regulations, hereinafter mentioned. But our will and pleasure is, that at all general meetings, and meetings of the council, the majority of the members present, and having a right to vote thereat respectively, shall decide upon the matters propounded at such meetings, the person presiding therein having, in case of an equality of numbers, a second or casting vote. And we do hereby also will, grant, and declare, that the council shall consist of a President, and not more than twenty-four nor less than five other members, to be elected out of the members of the said body politic and corporate; and that the first members of the council, exclusive of the President, shall be elected within six