EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1914. 39 



ous issues made by the Government in 1875 for the Centennial Ex- 

 hibition of 1876 is complete, with the exception of the 1, 3, 6, and 12- 

 cent of 1871 and the 2 and 5-cent of 1875. The collection also con- 

 tains the 2, 7, 12, and 24-cent stamps, special printing of 1880; the 

 2 and 4-cent, special printing of 1883; the complete issue of 1890, 

 1 to 90 cents, in imperforate blocks of four ; a complete sheet of the 

 2-cent Columbian issue, 1893, imperforate, signed and attested by 

 J. Macdonough, president of the American Bank Note Co., and A. D. 

 Hazen, Third Assistant Postmaster General, as the first Columbian 

 stamps printed; the 6 and 8-cent stamps of the issue of 1895 printed 

 in error on revenue paper; the 1, 2, and 4-cent inverted medallions 

 of the issue of 1901, the 2-cent being the greatest rarity in the United 

 States series of this century; a complete set, 1 to 15 cents, of the 

 issue of 1908 on bluish rag paper ; a complete set of the postage due, 

 special printing of 1880, except the 1-cent denomination; a complete 

 set of the issue of 1893, special printing, imperforate blocks of. four ; 

 a copy of the $5 stamp of the State Department ; a set of newspaper 

 stamps, 2 to 96 cents, special printing of 1875; a complete set, 1 to 

 60 cents, in imperforate blocks of four, of the special printing of 

 1893; and a complete set of the issue of 1894, bureau printing of 

 the American Bank Note design, 1 cent to $6. 



The Museum has been fortunate in securing for the classification 

 and installation of its stamp collection the services of the experi- 

 enced philatelist, Mr. Joseph D. Leavy, to whom credit is due for 

 its present excellent condition. 



MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY. 



In 1885 a section of steam transportation was established as a 

 branch of the department of arts and industries. The title was soon 

 changed to " transportation " and subsequently to " transportation 

 and engineering," the aim of the section being, it was stated, to pre- 

 sent an object lesson illustrating the history of devices to promote 

 travel and commerce and to convey intelligence. As early as 1888, 

 appliances, such as the stationary engine, etc., for generating power 

 for manufacturing and for producing heat and light had also been 

 included, and other subjects were soon added, comprising naval archi- 

 tecture, previously organized as a separate section, airships, bicycles, 

 automobiles, electrical devices for all purposes, measuring devices, 

 small firearms, and various other inventions. 



In 1895 the title became " technological collections," and the cu- 

 rator was also placed in charge of the collections belonging to certain 

 other sections which had recently become disorganized through the 

 lack of space and of means for their maintenance. Among these 

 were textiles, foods, and animal products, with which, for obvious 



