132 REPORT OP NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1921. 



terial relating to the war with Germany. Even so the additions dur- 

 ing the past year are sufficiently large to materially increase the matter 

 on hand and to indicate that the collections will continue to expand 

 in a normal and satisfactory manner. The 7,144 specimens received 

 cover a wide range as regards their character, and represent very 

 evenly the various fields and sections of the historical activities of 

 the Museum. 



ACCESSIONS DESERVING SPECIAL NOTICE. 



The extent and importance of the materials added to the historical 

 collections during the past fiscal year can only be made clear after 

 a brief reference to the various classes into which these materials are 

 divided in accordance with the present scheme of the activities of the 

 division. 



The historical collections are at present divided under two gen- 

 eral heads, one including the material relating to the recent World 

 War; the other, known at present as the original historical collec- 

 tions, includes much material relating to United States history prior 

 to and subsequent to that period. The collections relating to the 

 World War are further divided into the following classes of ma- 

 terial: Commemorative, foreign, military, naval, numismatic, and 

 pictorial. The original collections are divided into the following 

 classes of matter: Antiquarian, biographical, costume, military, 

 naval, numismatic, philatelic, and pictorial. 



Thus it may be noted that the division of history seeks to illustrate 

 the national development of the United States by an accumulation 

 of museum material belonging to the classes stated above, which 

 when associated together and exhibited in contiguous territory will 

 present a graphic story of the most notable phases of American his- 

 tory. Each of the classes of materials mentioned above has a specific 

 duty to perform in this connection, and all unite to form a vast reser- 

 voir of objects for the graphic presentation in museum form of the 

 annals of the United States from the colonial period down to most 

 recent times. 



WAR COLLECTIONS. 



The additions to this section of the historical collections have not 

 been so large as during the previous fiscal year when they attained to 

 gigantic proportions. They have nevertheless been notable both in 

 size and interest. 



Most notable have been the contributions made by the Navy De- 

 partment. The exhibit of this Department in the rotunda of the 

 Natural History Building and in the Aircraft Building now includes 

 among other objects the following of special note. In the latter loca- 

 tion are shown two naval aircraft of the latest design, a flying boat 



