296 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
was unable to report in December, 1884, as the law demanded, 
and the time was extended to December, 1885, “ or as soon there- 
after as may be.” In the meanwhile Senator Pendleton and 
Representative Lyman had retired from Congress, and were 
replaced on the Commission by Senator John T. Morgan and 
Representative John T. Wait. The report was finally submitted 
on June 10, 1886."** The testimony taken before the Commission 
had already been published. It forms a thick volume of more 
than a thousand pages.*** 
Feeling that it should receive the advice of the National 
Academy of Sciences, the Commission, through its secretary, 
Hon. Theodore Lyman, requested that a committee of the 
Academy be appointed to consider the subject in question. The 
committee appointed by President Marsh consisted of M. C. 
Meigs, Wm. H. Brewer, Cyrus B. Comstock, S. P. Langley, 
Simon Newcomb, E. C. Pickering, W. P. Trowbridge, F. A. 
Walker, and C. A. Young. All accepted appointment, but sub- 
sequently Prof. Newcomb and Gen. Comstock resigned by order 
of the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of War, respec- 
tively. These orders were issued on the ground that it was not 
proper for the two members who were active officers of the De- 
partments mentioned to be concerned in giving advice to Con- 
gress, which might result in action which would embarrass the 
heads of those Departments in carrying out their policies.*” 
On the other hand, President Marsh held that the Academy 
should not be deprived of the services of the two members in 
formulating advice asked for by the legislative branch of the 
Government. He declined, therefore, to accept their resigna- 
tions, and laid the matter before the Academy. The Academy 
appears, however, to have taken no action regarding it. 
“7? House Rep. no. 2740, 49th Congress, rst Session. 
“® Senate Misc. Doc. no. 82, 49th Congress, rst Session, 1886. 
*° This view did not affect the appointment of General Meigs, apparently for the reason 
that he was a retired officer. He was requested by the Secretary of War to withdraw, but 
upon his submitting a protest the matter was dropped. 
