With a view to the first object, the papers of contributors will always have a preference. Next to these we shall most largely draw upon the foreign publications in the Archipelago. But as papers of interest relating to this region are sometimes published on the continent of Europe, and remain unknown to English readers, we shall also avail of them as opportunity may offer. For the accom- plishment of the second object, we shall, from time to time, republish papers that have already appeared in English, but may have had a limited or an entirely local circulation, or are no longer procurable. And we shall notice works and papers on the Archipelago and Eastern Asia publish- ed in England and America, partly with the same view, and partly to keep all our Eastern readers and contributors informed of every inportant accession made to our know- ledge of the field from which the Journal takes its glean- ings. To facilitate reference until a volume is complete, we shall with each number give an analytic table of con- tents, which will serve as the foundation of a full table of contents and index, to be issued, with a title page for the volume, at the end of each year.
Unless we adopt a quarterly issue, it will be impossible to give to each number that variety in its matter which might be agreeable to. many readers. But, for the reason stated in the Prospectus, and in order also to enable us to meet the wishes of contributors when early publication may be an object, we have resolved to commence with a monthly issue. We must therefore request our readers to bear in mind, that the nature of the work requires that it be judged not by a number, but by a volume. It may indeed sometimes. happen that we shall be obliged to occu- py a whole number with one article, and that on a subject. which many readers may not find interesting. But we have already besought their toleration of such chances in our Prospectus.
