REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1908. 21 



1814;'"' "Iron versus Wood — Sinking of the Cumberland b}' the 

 Merrimac in Hampton Roads, March 8th, 18G2;" "The ^Vliite 

 Squadron's Farewell Salute to the Body of Captain John Ericsson, 

 New York Bay, August 25th, 1890 ; " " Eeturn of the Conquerors — 

 Typifying Our Victory in the late Spanish-American War, Septem- 

 ber 29th, 1899." 



By act of Congress, approved May 22, 1908, the colossal marble 

 statue of Washington by Horatio Greenough, completed in 1840 and 

 since 1875 occupying a position in front of the main steps of the 

 Capitol, was transferred to the custody of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion. It is intended to place this work in the Smithsonian building 

 imtil a more fitting location for it shall be found, probably in connec- 

 tion with the National Gallery of Art. The statue has been greatly 

 injured by its long exposure in the open air, but its preservation has 

 been urged by artists qualified to pass upon its merits. 



AN IMPORTANT ART MOVEMENT. 



The Centennial Exhibition of 18TG afforded the first opportunity 

 for extending the activities of the Museum into the field of the arts 

 and crafts. In fact, the extensive collections obtained in that con- 

 nection, which influenced the erection of the 2:)resent Museum build- 

 ing, completed in 1881, l)elonged largely in this category. They con- 

 sisted principally of gifts contributed by over thirty diiferent nations 

 and many American exhibitors, and while none of the subjects 

 represented was covered comprehensively, yet the material as a whole 

 formed an excellent nucleus from which to build. Most of the objects 

 were placed on exhibition in the beginning, but the greater part was 

 subsequently crowded out and sent to storage. Among the subjects 

 retained on display were several that lend themselves to artistic 

 workmanship of a high order. The exhibits along these lines have 

 been added to by donation _and purchase, and supplemented by im- 

 portant loans, and although they are still relatively small, they 

 contain much that is of value and importance. In the graphic arts, 

 ceramics, metal work, glass work, and lacquer there is now a partial 

 segregation of materials, but some of the finest examples of these 

 subjects and illustrations of others are incorporated with the histor- 

 ical collections or have been temporarily installed among the exhibits 

 in ethnology. That the early efforts toward building up this depart- 

 ment were not systematically continued has been mainly due to the 

 lack of space, but with the additional room soon to be acquired the 

 work will be actively resumed, in the hope that before many years 

 creditable- progress can be shown in the matter of illustrating the 

 materials, processes, and finished products, as well as the history of 

 the development, of the various arts and handicrafts. 



