118 EEPORT OF IS^ATIONAL MUSEUM, 1921. 



about 1840, was also undertaken and completed. The work just 

 enumerated required the whole time of the preparator when not 

 otherwise engaged in the maintenance and preservation of the 

 collections. 



The writer's activities during the year when not required by the 

 general administrative work and supervision of staff, centered in 

 the composing of descriptive labels to accompany exhibits. Approxi- 

 mately 300 labels were prepared and submitted for final printing. 

 The writer prepared also a descriptive catalogue of the mechanical 

 engineering collection, which is now in press and will be issued as a 

 Museum bulletin. The catalogue is confined entirely to motors, 

 locomotives, and objects dealing with the developments in transpor- 

 tation, and does not include metrology and horology. These latter 

 subjects, it is expected, will be the basis of a second volume of the 

 mechanical collections, to be prepared at some future date. A be- 

 ginning was made, too. in the preparation of a descriptive catalogue 

 of the collections devoted to naval architecture, and it is a satisfaction 

 to report that about one-fourth of the manuscript has been prepared 

 at this writing. 



Considering the scope of the activities of this division, therefore, 

 and the small staff engaged, the condition of the collections is very 

 satisfactory, but maintained with difficulty. 



Special investigations. — No special investigations were conducted 

 upon the materials in the division other than those which were re- 

 quired in the constructive development of the collections. Prior to 

 the actual construction of the models visualizing the developments in 

 aircraft, Mr. Garber was closely engaged in study so as to obtain the 

 most authentic data available on these subjects. The results of this 

 Study are shown in the models on exhibition and described earlier in 

 this report. In original work such as this there is, of course, the 

 possibility of error in interpretation, so that the division welcomes 

 any constructive criticism. 



Inquiries relative to watches, clocks, locomotives, ships, firearms, 

 electricity, and to many other subjects were answered, the effort be- 

 ing made to not only answer the direct inquiry, but to enlarge upon 

 it, giving all information which might prove useful. 



The shortage of watchmakers and scientific instrument makers 

 throughout the country to-day has been the subject of earnest con- 

 sideration by those particularly involved. Through the efforts of 

 Mr. Spier, honorary custodian of watches, the National Research 

 Council was made conversant with the situation, as a result of which 

 representatives of the watchmaking industry and the watchmaking 

 schools were invited to attend a conference under the auspices of the 

 council to discuss the question and devise means of remedying it. 

 This conference was held in Washington May 19 and 20, and 



