REPORT OF XATIOXAL MUSEUiE, l^'ZO. 139 



section of metrology. A inuzzle-loading pistol Avith luimmer iinJer- 

 neath the barrel made by Eobbins, Kendall and Lawrence, Windsor, 

 Vermont, in 184G, lent by Mr. J. E. IIoAve, Fairhaven, Massachusetts. 



Activities. — Activities of the division's force during the whole year 

 were devoted almost exclusively to caring for the collections, the 

 work being confined, first, to a rearrangement of the material on ex- 

 hibition and second to the preparation of a card index catalogue of 

 the collections. 



The rearrangement of the collections on exhibition was based upon 

 the fact that the objects comprising the collections relate, in the 

 majority of instances, to one or another of several groups of sub- 

 jects. These are, land and aerial transportation, naval architecture, 

 metrology, mechanical transmission of intelligence, mechanical and 

 electrical invention, and firearms. The work accordingly involved 

 the reserving of a certain portion of the total exhibition space for 

 each of these groups, the area being commensurate witli the present 

 size (volume) of the various collections plus an allowance for ex- 

 pansion, and bringing together within the area all related material. 

 Thus, to the East hall. No. 15 area, were assigned the groups of land 

 transportation, aerial transportation, and mechanical and electrical 

 invention; to hall Xo. 22, the naval architecture group; to hall No. 

 21, the metrology and mechanical transmission of intelligence groups; 

 and to hall No. 23, the firearms group. 



The collections were not onlv arrauired in this general wav l»iit 

 also Avere further sub-divided within each group. For example, tlie 

 main group, mechanical transmission of intelligence, was subdivided 

 into telegraph, telephone, talking machine, and typewriter, and tlie 

 objects relating to tliese special subjects were installed as a unit witiiin 

 the main group. 



Certain specimens in the division being of greater educational Aalue 

 elsewliere in the Museum were accordingly so transferred, 51 Patent 

 Office models of power looms and sewing machines to the division of 

 textiles, an automatic basket-nuiking macliine to the section of wood 

 technology, IT Patent Office models of printing presses to the division 

 of graphic arts, and 60 objects composing the collection of cables, 

 diplomas, books, etc., belonging to Cyrus W. Field to tlie division of 

 histor}'. 



Watches. — To relieve tlie shortage of exhibition space, the majority 

 of watches Avere withdrawn from exhibition, the selection of speci- 

 mens for continued exhibition being made according to their value 

 in illustrating the important steps in the development of the watch. 

 Those watches Avithdrawn are being arranged as a study series in 

 glass covered drawers in the division's offices where they Avill j>e 

 available to those particularly interested in the sul)ject of horology. 



