128 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1923. 



ceived by the Post Office Department from the Bureau of the Inter- 

 national Postal Union, Berne, Switzerland, and transferred to the 

 Museum by that Department. 



An event of unusual importance in connection with the develop- 

 ment of the historical collections, while not involving a new accession 

 to the Museum collections, was the transfer from the Division of 

 Mechanical Technology to the Division of History of the collection 

 of arms formerly in the possession of the former division. The for- 

 mation of this collection began about 1900 and continued up to the 

 time of the transfer noted above. The collection now numbers 

 nearly three thousand specimens. It consists for the most part of 

 small arms, such as guns, pistols, and swords. The most notable 

 single contribution to this collection has been that of the United 

 States Cartridge Comj^any, which was received by the Museum in 

 1908. This unit, which is now the property of the Estate of Paul 

 Butler and Mrs. Blanche Butler Ames, includes over five hundred 

 specimens of firearms of various periods installed in handsome ma- 

 hogau}^ wall cases and by means of this collection alone, the art of 

 gunmaking can be traced from its earliest stages to its present degree 

 of development. Very notable contributions to this collection have 

 also been made by the Navy Department, the United States War 

 'Department, and the United States Patent Office, and by various 

 individuals. 



EXPLORATIONS AND EXPEDITIONS. 



The activities of this character in connection with the work of the 

 division during the past fiscal year were confined to one visit of two 

 days duration to Philadelphia in March, for the purpose of arrang- 

 ing for the transfer of the numismatic material from the United 

 States Mint at that place to the IN ational Museum, and one visit of one 

 day to New York City in May, for the purpose of conferring with 

 the officers of the American Numismatic Society and the American 

 Numismatic Association, concerning cooperation between these two 

 societies and the National Museum in connection with the future 

 development of the science of numismatics in the Museum. 



Capt. Charles Carey, O. R. C, aid, was given leave on detached 

 service for the period of June 15 to June 30, inclusive, for the pur- 

 pose of attending the ordnance instruction course at Springfield 

 Armory, Springfield, Mass. 



WOEK OF PRESEEVING AND INSTALLING THE COLLECTIONS— PEESBNT CONDITION OF THE 



COLLECTIONS. 



The most notable achievement in connection with the work of the 

 preserving and installing the collections has been the installation on 

 the second floor of the southeast range of the Arts and Industries 



