thought proper, however, to leave them exactly as they were when forming the library of Mr. Smithson.

Such of the relics of Smithson and his family as have come into possession of the Institution have also been appropriately arranged in frames and placed on exibition in the Regents' room. They consist of the following articles:

1. An oil portrait of Smithson as an Oxford student.

2. An oil portrait in miniature of Smithson, painted by Johns, at Aixla-Chapelle, in 1816.

3. An oil portrait in miniature of Col. Henry Louis Dickinson, a halfbrother of James Smithson.

4. The dinner invitation card of Smithson.

5. His visiting card, used in Paris.

6. A copy of his will in his own handwriting.

7. A manuscript in his handwriting.

8. A commission from George III to Major Henry Louis Dickinson, as Lieutenant-Colonel, dated 1st Jan., 1800.

9. A commission from the same King to Lient. Colonel H. L. Dickinson, as Colonel of the 84th Regt., dated 4th Aug., 1808.

Smithson's Tomb.-It is, of course, eminently proper that the Smithsonian Institution should do all in its power to preserve the remembrance of its great founder, Mr. James Smithson; and an endeavor toward this end has been made by the publication of a Life of Smithson and a reprint of all his works. In the efforts to obtain a memorial of some kind of the last resting place of Mr. Smithson, at Genoa, in Italy, a photograph of the tomb was obtained from Mr. Hazelton, the United States consul in that city, with a statement of its present condition. In accordance with a suggestion from him he was authorized to put the monument in thorough repair and to arrange to have it kept in good condition at the expense of the Institution. The monument is an appropriate and substantial one, and as long as the Institution is in existence this reminder of its founder should be carefully protected.

INAUGURAL RECEPTION.

Reference should be made to the granting of the use of the new Museum building for the purpose of holding the inaugural reception in honor of the newly-elected President. A petition to that effect, from a committee of citizens of Washington, was presented at a meeting of the Board on the 8th of December, and the following resolution, granting the request, was passed:

"Whereas the new Museum building is unfinished and not ready for occupancy of the government collections, and whereas such a contingency will not again occur, and no precedent is to be given for the use of the building for other purposes:

"Resolved, That the use of the new National Museum building be granted for the inaugural reception of the President of the United States, on the 4th of March, 1881, and that the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution be authorized to make all necessary arrangements for this purpose."

Subsequently application was made to the Institution by several other committees for the use of the building after the inaugural reception on the 4th of March. These were all refused, although the objects in view were praiseworthy in themselves.

FINANCES.

General Condition.-It is believed that the finances of the Institution have never been in amore favorable condition than they are at the present time.*

As the income of the Smithson fund is a definite one and can be calculated upon almost to a cent, year by year, it is, of course, practicable to estimate the expenditures with much precision. Nothing but some calamity, such as the destruction or serious injury of the building, is likely to involve an outlay that would seriously interfere with the general programme for the year.

Under the general limitations of the appropriations made by the Board of Regents, for the different classes of expenditure, it is, of course, a matter of proper business management to incur no liabilities for the year beyond those that the fund is able to meet; and a strict adherence to this rule has prevented any embarrassment in regard to payments. There has been no indebtedness at the end of the year except that for some incomplete publications, and for which the necessary provision had been made.

Reference has been made in this report to several bequests, by which the principal of the fund has been increased, the first of these being that of Mr. James Hamilton, of Carlisle, which, amounting to $1,000 was added to the principal of the Smithson fund in the United States Treasury.

Habel Bequest.-An account was given in the last report, of the bequest of $402.59 to the Smithsonian Institution by Dr. S. Habel, of New York. By authority of the executive committee, the sum of $97.41 was appropriated from the annual income of the Institution and added to the above in order to make up the amount of $500. This was then deposited in the United States Treasury to the credit of the Smithsonian endowment, under the provisions of law.

The Habel bequest thus slightly enlarged and added to the Hamilton fund of $1,000, making the sum of $1,500, will yield annually at 6 per cent. an income of $90. It is proposed to devote this special income to the prosecution of ethnological and archæological research.

The funds of the Institution now in the treasury, according to the report of the executive committee, amount, with these two bequests, to

*The endowment (referred to elsewhere) is for the most part in the U. S. Treasury, where the principal can never be touched, and it yields an annual interest of six per cent. A small portion is invested in Virginia State securities.

$651,500, leaving a balance of $348,500 necessary to make up the million dollars authorized by Congress as its perpetual endowment. It is very much to be hoped that some of our wealthy men may feel inclined to contribute a part or even the whole of this sum, as it is believed that no more desirable contribution to science and education could be devised. The machinery of the Institution is extensive enough to administer a much larger amount than it at present possesses, so that no part of such contribution would be required for salaries, rent, or other attendant expenses. It may safely be said that the addition of one-half to the present fund would at least double the efficiency of the Institution in carrying out its mission of the "increase and diffusion of knowledge among men."

Relation to the National Museum.-It is, of course, fully understood that while the Smithsonian Institution is supported and administered at the expense of the Smithson endowment, the cost of carrying on the National Museum is necessarily defrayed entirely by Congressional appropriations. Although the estimates presented by the Institution from time to time as desirable for the prosecution of the work have sometimes been reduced by the Congressional committees, there is no reason to complain of the feeling of Congress toward this interest, and it is confidently believed that as the plans in regard to the reorganization of the Museum in the new building are carried out a cordial support will be extended in the future. The appropriations required for the maintenance of an establishment five times as great as the present one must necessarily be largely increased, although not in proportion to its expansion. It is evident that to supply a building covering two and a half acres of ground with cases will require a large expenditure of money until they are completed. It is estimated that the cases needed will in a continuous line extend a mile and a half; and of course several years will be required for their proper construction. After this the cost of the Museum will be essentially that of maintenance only, and be reduced much below the figures for the fiscal year of 1881.

BUILDINGS.

Smithsonian Building.-The disastrous fire which destroyed a large portion of the roof and upper story of the Patent Office building in the summer of 1877, gave rise to the formation of a commission of government officers, consisting of Col. Thomas L. Casey, Mr. E. Clark, and Mr. J. G. Hill, to inspect all buildings of the government in the city, and to report what measures might be necessary to better secure them and their contents from injury by fire. The Smithsonian building was one of those carefully examined by the commission, and it was recommended that iron doors should be placed in the passage ways between certain An appropriation of $3,000 was subsequently made by Congress for this purpose; and a contract for its execution was accordingly

rooms.

entered into with Mr. George L. Damon, of Boston. After considerable delay in the performance of this contract, the doors were delivered and put in place by Mr. Damon, to the entire satisfaction of the executive committee. This arrangement has greatly promoted the safety of the building and its contents from the risk of the spreading of any fires which might accidentally occur within its walls. A few additional changes are still desirable to give still further security to the public property placed in the charge of the Institution.

For the purpose of facilitating the operations of the freight and transportation department of the Institution, an elevator was constructed in 1879, by which packages could be carried from the southeastern entrance of the building, either to the basement floor below, or to the document room above. During 1880, the work has been completed by the erection of a very substantial platform outside of the door, on which boxes can be conveniently delivered, or from which they can be shipped. From the rapidly increasing amount of transportation connected with the natural history operations and the scientific exchanges, every facility in the handling of packages, by economizing labor, becomes an item of importance.

For many years a pump at the southeastern corner of the Smithsonian building has furnished a supply of excellent water, esteemed throughout the neighborhood. Although the introduction of the Potomac water naturally reduced considerably the demand upon this pump it was still constantly drawn upon by persons passing by, and was used for supplying the water-coolers in the building. A chemical and microscopic examination of the water made during the summer showed that it was not entirely wholesome, in consequence as was thought, of the rotting of the inner wooden lining of the well. As a necessary step to the improvement of the sanitary condition of the water the original lining was replaced by one of brick. An iron pump was also substituted for the former wooden one. These repairs have been satisfactorily completed, and the water is now restored to its original quality.

The protection of the buildings in charge of the Smithsonian Institution and the preservation of the property contained therein require, of course, the vigilance of competent watchmen, both day and night. One of these, Mr. T. S. Nelligar, a night watchman in the new museum building, has been made a special policeman by the Board of police.

The situation of the Smithsonian building, so far to the south of the principal avenues of travel in Washington, renders it somewhat inconvenient of access, especially during inclement weather. At present the nearest street railways are those along Seventh street and along Twelfth street. The completion of the new building for the accommodation of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing of the Treasury Department, on South B street (at the corner of Fourteenth street), as also of the new National Museum building, on

the same street (near Ninth street), occasioning a large increase of travel in that direction, induced the proprietors of the so-called "Belt Line" of railway to memorialize Congress for permission to change the track of their road by extending it down Fourteenth street to South B street, thence along South B street past the entrance to the National Museum, and thence south along Ninth street to Maryland avenue, along which it now passes. Congress has not yet taken any action on this memorial. Should that body authorize the proposed change of route it will add greatly to the convenience of all who are interested in that line of travel.

Armory Building.-The Armory building is still in use as the depository of the Centennial and other collections belonging to the government. These articles will be removed to the new Museum during the present year, but as there is no provision in this building for storage of boxes, packing materials, &c., a part of the Armory will always be required for this purpose. It is also contemplated to use one of the halls or stories of the Armory for the storage of the large amount of property belonging to the United States Fish Commission, and the lower floor may perhaps be occupied by aquaria, hatching apparatus, &c.

Laboratory of Natural History.—The building erected as a laboratory of natural history and a photographic atelier in which to prepare specimens, illustrations, &c., for the Centennial Exhibition is still devoted to similar uses. A large number of photographs of fish, ethnologica, &c., have been made during the year by the artist of the Institution, Mr. T. W. Smillie.

Mr. Joseph Palmer and his son have continued in this building the preparation of plaster casts of fish, reptiles, and antiquities, and in another apartment these have been colored by the artist, Mr. A. Z. Shindler, the reproductions thus furnished being admirable fac-similes of the living or original objects, and attracting general commendation. Another large room occupied by Mr. Henry Marshall, the taxidermist, has mainly been devoted to the mounting of birds and mammals.

In the new Museum building very commodious apartments have been assigned to the photographer and other artists, a large and well arranged sky-light has been provided, and everything will be done by the Institution to secure the best possible results with all the apparatus and appliances obtainable. To obtain ample working rooms in case of an emergency, however, the tanks, dark-room, sky-light, &c., in the old building will be left undisturbed so that if necessary an extra force of photographers may be enabled to carry on their work.

ROUTINE WORK OF THE INSTITUTION.

Administration.-No change has been made in the officers and assistants of the Institution since the death of the late Secretary. Mr. William J. Rhees, who has been chief clerk since June, 1853, still discharges