Address by Hon. Robert E. Withers. Address by Prof. Asa Gray. Reading of telegrams by Hon. Hiester Clymer. Address by Prof. William B. Rogers. Address by Hon. James A. Garfield. Address by Hon. Samuel S. Cox: Address by Gen. William T. Sherman. Concluding prayer by Rev. Dr. Byron Sunderland. By authority of the Speaker, reserved seats were provided on the floor of the House for the following bodies, with which Professor Henry had been associated: The Regents of the Smithsonian Institution and the orators of the evening, who met in the room of the Speaker of the House. The National Academy of Sciences. The Washington Philosophical Society. The Light-House Board, who met in the room of the Committee on Ways and Means. The Alumni Association of Princeton College. The trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. The Washington Monument Association, who met in the room of the Committee on Appropriations. HENRY MEMORIAL VOLUME. January 22, 1879-House. Mr. ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS, of Georgia. I submit a resolution, upon which I ask immediate action. Resolved, etc., That the memorial exercises in honor of Professor Henry, held in the Hall of the House of Representatives on the 16th of January, 1879, be printed in the Congressional Record, and that 15,000 extra copies of the same be printed in a memorial volume, together with such articles as may be furnished by the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, 7,000 of which shall be for the use of the House of Representatives, 3,000 copies for the use of the Senate, and 5,000 copies for the use of the Smithsonian Institution. Mr. STEPHENS, of Georgia. I ask the previous question upon the adoption of this resolution. The SPEAKER, (Mr. S. J. RANDALL). The Chair suggests that the resolution does not designate the proper proportion of copies as between the Senate and the House. The House ought to have four times as many as the Senate. Mr. HORATIO C. BURCHARD. Should not the resolution be referred to the Committee on Printing? The SPEAKER. The Chair does not suppose that the expense contemplated in the resolution would reach $500; but if it would, then under the law the resolution must go to the Committee on Printing. Mr. STEPHENS, of Georgia. This is precisely similar to the resolution adopted in the case of the memorial exercises of Professor Morse. The SPEAKER. Of course the printing in the Congressional Record is not taken into consideration in determining this question of expense. The Chair is not advised whether these 15,000 extra copies to be published in book form would cost $500. If they would, then, under the requirement of the law, the resolution must be referred to the Committee on Printing. The Chair is advised it would cost over $500, and therefore it had better go to the Committee on Printing under the law. That committee has a right to report at any time. Mr. STEPHENS, of Georgia. Let it take that reference. Referred to Committee on Printing. January 25, 1879-House. Committee reported favorably. House passed. January 28, 1879-Senate. Referred to Committee on Printing. February 6, 1879-Senate. Reported by Mr. H. B. Anthony, and passed. (This memorial volume forms No. 356 of the series of Smithsonian publications, and also Vol. XXI of Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections. 8vo. 1 portrait of Joseph Henry. 1880.) 532 pp. February 12, 1879-Senate. Mr. HANNIBAL HAMLIN submitted concurrent resolution "that the Secretary of the Treasury have printed the portrait of Prof. Joseph Henry, to accompany the memorial volume already ordered by Congress." Referred to Committee on Printing. February 13, 1879-Senate. Passed. February 28, 1879-House. (This resolution passed both Houses of Congress, but failed to receive approval of the President (Mr. R. B. Hayes), and was intro duced again in the Senate April 7, 1879, by Mr. H. B. Anthony, and passed April 9. It passed the House April 11, and was approved by the President April 18, 1879.) SERVICES OF JOSEPH HENRY TO THE GOVERNMENT. June 4, 1878-House. The Speaker (Mr. S. J. RANDALL) laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury relative to the services of Professor Henry on the Light-House Board, and recommending compensation for said services. Referred to Committee on Appropriations. June 5, 1878-Senate. The President pro tempore (Mr. THOMAS W. FERRY) laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury (Ex. Doc. 94) recommending an appropriation of $500 for each year that the late Professor Henry was employed as a member of the Light-House Board, for the benefit of his family. Referred to Committee on Appropriations. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, June 4, 1878. SIR: In view of the very great services rendered by Prof. Joseph Henry, lately deceased, as a member of the Light-House Board, the length of his services, and the value to the Government of the duties performed by him, and considering the just claims of his family for some compensation therefor, I respectfully recommend that there be appropriated the moderate sum of $500 for each year of his employment as a member of the board. Professor Henry served as a member of the Light-House Board without compensation from October 9, 1852, until the date of his death, May 13, 1878, being twenty-five years and eight months. During that period he was engaged in the practical business of the Government, in the highest branches of scientific inquiry, on an average, two months in each year, and was chairman of the board over six years, having been elected to that position in October, 1871. He received during that time only expenses while actually engaged in the business of the Government. I inclose copies of two letters from the Light-House Board of the date of May 21 and 28, giving the nature of his services. Very respectfully, Hon. W. A. WHEELER, JOHN SHERMAN, President of the Senate. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE LIGHT-HOUSE BOARD, SIR: Respectfully referring to your indorsement of the letter of the Light-House Board of May 21, 1878, relative to the services and duties rendered by Prof. Joseph Henry as a member of said board, I have the honor to state that he served as a member of the board from October 9, 1852, until the date of his death, May 13, 1878, being twenty-five years and eight months. During that period he was engaged in the business of the Government, on an average, two months in each year, and served as chairman of the board over six years, having been elected to that position in October, 1871. The letter of the board of May 21, with your indorsement thereon, is respectfully returned. Very respectfully, Hon. SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. GEO. DEWEY, TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE LIGHT-HOUSE BOARD, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date, asking a statement of the services and the duties rendered by Professor Henry as a member of the Light-House Board, the number of years of service, and, if practicable, the number of days in each year, etc.; also, the amount and nature of the expenses incurred by him, and whether they were or were not refunded. In reply, I beg leave to say that the services and duties rendered by Professor Henry as a member of the Light-House Board consisted of his attendance on the meetings of the board, his participations in its discussions, and in his performance of the duties of chairman of the committee on experiments. As chairman of this committee, Professor Henry acted as the scientific adviser of the board. But, in addition, it was his duty to conduct the experiments made by the board, not only in the matter of original investigation and testing the material used, but in examining and reporting on the models, plans, and theories presented by others to the board. The value of the services he rendered in this position is simply inestimable. He prepared the formula for testing our oils, and, until the infirmities of age rendered it difficult, he usually applied them with his own hands. He conducted the series of experiments resulting in the substitution of lard oil for sperm, which effected an immense saving in cost; and he also conducted the experiments which have resulted in making it possible to substitute mineral oil for lard, when another economy will be made. His original investigation into the laws of sound have resulted in giving us a fogsignal service conceded to be the best in the world. His examinations into the action of electricity has enabled the board to almost completely protect its stations from the effect of lightning. The result of his patient, continuous, practical experimentation is visible everywhere in the service. No subject was too vast for him to undertake; none too small for him to overlook. And while he has brought into the establishment so many practical applications of science, he has done almost as much service by keeping out what, presented by others, seemed plausible, but which on examination proved impracticable. Every theory, plan, or machine which was pressed on the board, as for the interests of commerce and navigation, was referred to the committee on experiments, when it was examined by its chairman, and was formally reported upon. If it had no practical value, the report on record simply stated the inexpediency of its adoption; but the professor often verbally pointed out to the presenter its fallacy, and sent him away, if not satisfied, at least feeling that he had been well treated. He thus prevented not only the adoption of impracticable plans, but avoided the enmity of their inventors. Professor Henry made many valuable reports containing the results of his elaborate experiments into matters which were formally referred to him, which are spread on the records of the board, and the reports were drawn in such form that his suggestions were capable of and received practical application. But, in addition to this, he was constantly extending his scientific researches for the benefit of the service in all directions. His summer vacations were, as a rule, passed in experimentation at the laboratory of the establishment at Staten Island, on its steamers, or at its light stations, pushing his inquiries to their last results. To experimentation in the interests of this service Professor Henry seemed to give his whole heart. It occupied a portion of all his thoughts, it was present with him at all times, it was woven into all his other duties, and it will be found running through many of the speeches and papers submitted not only to the Smithsonian Institution, but to the National Academy of Science and the Philosophical Society, of which he was head, and to the electrical and other societies of which he was a member. It appeared as if he never lost sight of the needs of the establishment, and as if he never neglected an opportunity to advance its interests. In addition to his other duties, Professor Henry presided as chairman of the LightHouse Board for the last seven years at its weekly meetings, when he did much to infuse into the different members of the board his own spirit of labor for and devotion to its interests. In reply to the question as to the number of years of service Professor Henry has spent in the Light-House Board, I have to say that he was one of the original members appointed in 1852, and that he served as such continuously up to the time of his death, giving a little more than a quarter of a century to its duties. In reply to the question as to the number of the days in each year which Professor Henry gave to the Light-House Service, I have to say, the whole of each summer vacation from his duties as director of the Smithsonian Institution, say from six weeks to two months, were devoted to it; but apart from that, few, if any, days were entirely given up to it, except when he was sent by the board to make special examinations and reports, making, perhaps, a month more in each year. Otherwise, while no day was free from it entirely, no day was wholly given up to the Light-House Service. As to the amount and nature of the expenses incurred by Professor Henry, I have to report that they were simply and solely actual traveling expenses when absent from this city on duty, for which due itemized accounts were made, and which were paid on presentation of his sworn account, under the rules of the Department. All such expenses were refunded, but no other payments were made to him or could be made to him under the organic law of the board. Very respectfully, The Hon. SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. GEO. DEWEY, [Indorsement on letter.] State the number of years Professor Henry served as a member of the board, the number as chairman of the board, and what number, or months, or days in each year, on an average, he was employed for business of the Government. MAY 24, 1878. June 20, 1878. Sundry civil act for 1879. JOHN SHERMAN, Secretary. To pay to the legal representatives of the late Joseph Henry, for services rendered by him as member and president of the Light-House Board, $11,000. (Stat. XX, 214.) ACTING SECRETARY OF SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. June 7, 1878-Senate. Mr. HANNIBAL HAMLIN asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. 1374) authorizing the Chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution to appoint an Acting Secretary in certain. cases. Mr. HAMLIN. There is no entirely appropriate committee, and. I move, therefore, that the bill be referred to a select committee consisting of the three Senators who are Regents of that Institution. Agreed to. June 8, 1878-Senate. Mr. HAMLIN. The select committee, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1374) authorizing the Chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution to |