REPORT OF TII'E SECRETARY. 51 



little from the disturbed one, that the azimuths aud the altitudes which 

 he had already computed for the one might serve for the other. The 

 velocity of the meteor, Miien nearest the earth, was 9.76 miles per second ; 

 its least distance from the surface of the earth was 3U.10 miles, at about 

 the middle of New York. 



Correspondence. — As the collaborators of the Institution generally 

 reside at a distance, the business with them is principally carried on 

 by mail. The same is also the case in regard to all the exchanges, and 

 consequently the record of nearly all the transactions of the Institution 

 is contained in the correspondence. Besides those relating to official 

 busmess, himdi-eds of letters are received during the year, containing 

 inquiries relative to the various subjects on which the writers desire 

 information. If these cannot be immediately answered without much 

 research, they are referred to collaborators who are experts in the vari- 

 ous branches of knowledge, and who can readily supply information in 

 regard to subjects within the range of their special studies. 



In addition to the foregoing it may also be mentioned that there are 

 four hundred meteorological observers, from each of whom several letters 

 are received annually. The correspondence of the Institution being of 

 such importance, it has been considered necessary to adopt a system in 

 regard to it, which consists in registering in a book i)repared for the 

 purpose, every letter received which pertains to the business of the In- 

 stitution. The mail is opened every morning by an assistant, who 

 assigns to each letter a number, gives a synopsis of its contents, <md 

 notes to whom it is referred for answer. The letters are afterwards 

 bound in volumes and indexed. Press copies are kept of all the answers. 

 An idea may be formed of the amount of labor bestowed upon this 

 branch of operations, when it is mentioned that the number of letters 

 registered during 1808 was 5,141. This does not include letters 

 acknowledging the receipt of donations from the Institution, which 

 would swell the number of actual receipts by the mail to upwards of 

 10,000. 



During the past year references of inquiries above referred to have 

 been made to the foUoM'ing gentlemen: Dr. Torrey, of New York ; Pro- 

 fessors Gray and Wyman, of Cambridge; Dr. Leidy and Mr. Isaac Lea, 

 of Philadelphia; Professors AVhitney, Brush, and Newton, of New 

 Haven ; Drs. Woodward, Otis and Craig, of the Surgeon General's 

 ofdce; Prof. Schaefter and Mr. W. B. Taylor, of the Patent Oflice; Pro- 

 fessor S. Newcomb, of the Naval Observatory ; and Mr. George Gibbs 

 and Mr. J. H. Lane, of Washington. 



Grounds. — The Smithsonian building, as is well known to the visitors of 

 Washington, stands in the midst of a park, adorned Avith a collection 

 of the principal ornamental trees which are susceptible of cultivation in 

 this climate. This forms part of a reservation of the government 

 denominated the "Mall," extending from the Capitol to the Potomac, 



