OPERATION'S OF THE YEAR. 



FINANCES. 



Tlie maintenance and operations of the National Museum for the 

 fiscal year from July 1, 1919, to June 30, 1920, were provided for by 

 the following items of appropriation in the sundry civil bill approved 

 July 19, 1919, and the first deficiency act for 1920 approved Novem- 

 ber 4, 1919 : 



Preservation of collections $300, 000 



Furniture and fixtures 20, 000 



Heating and lighting 69, 715 



Building repairs 10, 000 



Purchase of books 2, 060 



Postage 500 



Printing and binding 37. 500 



Heating and equipping Aircraft Building 14, 000 



Total 453, 715 



In addition, the sum of $5,640 was transferred to the credit of the 

 IMuseum from the appropriations of the Bureau of War Risk Insur- 

 ance of the Treasury Department, $2,000 for heating and lighting 

 and $3,640 for building repairs, to enable the Museum to repair 

 damages to the Natural History Building resulting from its oc- 

 cui:>ancy by the Bureau from October, 1917, to March, 1919. 



The appropriations for the year remained practically the same as 

 for the past ten years — excepting those for heating and lighting and 

 for furniture and fixtures, the former being increased to take care of 

 the additional buildings, the latter being slightly reduced from the 

 amount for several years just prior to the war — notwithstanding the 

 fact that since the Natural History Building was constructed about 

 ten years ago approximately three million specimens have been added 

 to the collections. This alone, even if other activities had not been 

 taken up by the National Museum, should warrant a large increase in 

 the appropriation for preservation of collections, from which the 

 entire staff of the scientific, administrative, and executive branches 

 of the service are paid, and a considerable increase in the item for 

 furniture and fixtures. 



The Swales Fund and the income from the Francis Lea Chamber- 

 lain Fund permitted the acquisition during the year of some specially 

 desired specimens of birds, mollusks, and gems. 



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