1897. NOTES AND COMMENTS. 149 



seriously considered for at least twenty years, namely, the severance 

 of the National Museum from the Smithsonian Institution, or at least 

 the appointment of a director of the museum, who shall be other than 

 the Assistant-Secretary of the Institution. The Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, founded for "the increase and diffusion of knowledge among 

 men," is not so much an American as a world institution, endowed by 

 an Englishman for whom the Government of the United States acts 

 as executor. The museum, on the other hand, as its name implies, 

 is a national affair of the United States, having no logical connection 

 with the Smithsonian, and constituting no organic part of it. While 

 the Museum is now well established, and can readily be made directly 

 responsible to Congress, the Smithsonian is hampered in its work by 

 the necessity of applying to the Government for appropriations, and 

 by the burden of administrative duties, which were never contem- 

 plated in its original scheme. A more personal reason is that a man 

 like George Brown Goode, capable of serving both as a museum 

 officer, and as Assistant-Secretary, and ultimately Secretary, of the 

 great organisation, is not so easily found. The present situation, 

 therefore, occurring as it does at the close of fifty years of the Insti- 

 tution's life, affords an excellent opportunity for reconsidering the 

 relations of the Institution and the Museum. 



The second article to which we would draw attention is by the 

 Assistant-Secretary of Agriculture, Chas. W. Dabney, Jr. ; it was pre- 

 pared at the suggestion of the Hon. Gardiner G. Hubbard, and is in 

 Science for January 15. It urges the formation of a national depart- 

 ment of science, and points out how enormously the official scientific 

 work of the United States is at present duplicated ; for instance, " there 

 are four hydrographic offices in as many departments, viz., the 

 Hydrographic Office of the Navy, a similar office in the Coast Survey 

 ■of the Treasury Department, the Division of Hydrography in the 

 Geological Survey (Interior Department), which measures the rivers 

 of the arid regions, and the Weather Bureau, which measures rivers 

 and studies lake-currents." " In addition, the Fish Commission 

 measures the waters of fishing-grounds and rivers, the Engineer Corps 

 of the Army measures the Mississippi River, the lakes and harbors." 

 A complete list of the scientific agencies is given in the article. "The 

 only way" says Mr. Dabney, "to avoid duplication and waste of 

 time and money, and to secure the proper coordination and coopera- 

 tion, is to first bring all these bureaus together in one of the existing 

 departments, or in a new department. When these bureaus have 

 been thus brought together under the direction of one Secretary or 

 executive head, the reorganisation will be comparatively easy. It 

 should take place naturally and gradually in the course of ordinary 

 business." " The policy should be to transfer the different scientific 

 bureaus or surveys to one department, as opportunity offers, or as the 

 Secretaries now having charge of them find it expedient to recommend 

 it." 



