THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 463 



First Prize, of ten thousand dollars, for a treatise embodying 

 some new and important discoveries in regard to the nature and 

 properties of atmospheric air, to Lord Rayleigh, of London, and 

 Prof. William Ramsay, of the University College, London, for 

 the discovery of argon. 



Second Prize, of two thousand dollars, not awarded, owing to 

 the failure of any contestant to comply strictly with the terms of 

 the offer. 



Third Prize, of one thousand dollars, to Dr. Henry de Varigny, 

 of Paris, for the best popular treatise upon atmospheric air, its 

 properties and relationships. Dr. de Varigny's essay is entitled 

 L'Air et la Vie. 



Besides these capital prizes, three silver medals and six bronze 

 medals, coupled with honorable mention, were awarded to gentle- 

 men for essays of great merit. To name all those awarded honor- 

 able mention would occupy more space than at our command. 



On November 7th, Lord Rayleigh and Prof. William Ramsay 

 called at the United States embassy, London, and received from 

 the Secretary a check for ten thousand dollars, communicated by 

 the Smithsonian Institution. It was a fortunate circumstance 

 that the Smithsonian had the opportunity of awarding the first 

 prize for so momentous a discovery as that of argon. 



Finances. The Annual Report of the Executive Committee 

 of the Board of Regents for the year ending June 30, 1895, gives 

 the following as the financial status of the institution : 



Total Fuiuh in 1895. 



Bequest of Smithson, 1846 $515,169 



Residuary legacy of Smithson, ISeV 26,210 



Savings from income, 1867 108,620 



Bequest of James Hamilton, 1875 1,000 



Accumulated interest of tlie James Hamilton fund, 1895 1,000 



Bequest of Simeon Habel, 1880 BOO 



Sale of bonds, 1881 51,000 



Gift of Thomas G. Hodgkins, 1891 200,000 



Residuary legacy of T. G. Hodgkins, 1894 8,000 



$911,499 



Receipts in 1894-95. 



Interest on fund, one year $54,473 



International exchanges 17,000 



Bureau of Ethnology 40,000 





^ be 



g- a -{ National Museum 166,500 



Astro-physical Observatory 9,000 



National Zoological Park 50,000 



$336,973 



In addition to the above funds the Smithsonian Institution 

 will soon receive the proceeds of a bequest made by the late 



