REPORT OF NATIONAL, MUSEUM, 1910. 23 



range of subjects. Through classes for housekeepers in the morning 

 and afternoon and special classes for war workers at 5 p. m., over 

 2,100 persons were reached. 



In mineral technology the customary work of the division was 

 shelved in favor of special activities with a more direct bearing on 

 the national emergency, and as the war progressed the call for spe- 

 cialization on the part of its technical staff increased. While the 

 country was still actively involved on a basis of war, scarcely a day 

 passed without bringing calls from some governmental agency for 

 assistance with reference to one or another industrial issue up for 

 consideration on an emergency rating, the questions ranging from 

 determining a fair price for mica to determining the likelihood of 

 a paralyzing petroleum shortage. As the year advanced, however, 

 two absorbing lines of special investigation developed to such a de- 

 gree that during the latter half of the year they largely engrossed 

 the attention of the staff. Their general nature may be gathered 

 from the titles imder which the results were issued. One, " A Eeport 

 on the Political and Commercial Control of the Nitrogen Eesources 

 of the World," represents an effort to unravel the complexities of 

 the nitrogen situation left behind in the passing of the war. The 

 other, "The Energy Eesources, a Field for Eeconstruction," coordi- 

 nates and summarizes the work of several years. 



The reports of the head curators in the natural history departments 

 and of the curators in the department of arts and industries, be- 

 ginning on page 53, give in detail the additions to and the work on 

 their collections during the year. 



NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART. 



The National Gallery of Art has, in the judgment of Dr. William 

 H. Holmes, its curator, been lifted to a position in the art world 

 inferior to but few of our American galleries by the munificent con- 

 tribution of ISIx. Ealph Cross Johnson, of Washington, comprising 

 24 rare works by European masters — Italian, French, English, Flem- 

 ish, and Dutch. 



Mr. Johnson has long been a friend of the Gallery. When it was 

 first opened to the public in its present quarters on March 17, 1910, 

 nine paintings of exceptional merit lent by him graced the walls of 

 one of the small north rooms, and that room continued to display a 

 varying number of valuable paintings on loan through his generosity 

 until the spring of 1919, when the larger hall immediately south was 

 assigned to Mr. Johnson's pictures. Twenty-four of his masterpieces 

 were here installed, some of which had previously been exhibited and 

 others new to the Gallery. As soon as the adjustment of the wall 

 space was completed and the effect satisfactory, Mr. Johnson made 

 deed of gift of the paintings to the Gallery, as follows : 



