REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 7 
THE NEW BUILDING FOR THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
The beginning of the year found only the foundations of the new 
building in place, and it was not until the latter part of the summer 
that enough stone had been received to commence the erection of the 
walls. The first stone to be set, one of the large pieces of the base 
course next adjoining the northern projection on the east, was laid on 
August 21, 1905, from which time the construction of the basement 
yalls was continued until their completion, except at the entrances on 
both the north and south sides. The several rows of massive brick 
piers required to support the exceptionally broad and heavy floors of 
the main story, as wellas the laying of the steel framework and brick 
arches of these floors, were also finished, and work was begun in June 
on the court walls of the main story. 
The plans of the building as approved in January, 1904, are being 
followed, except as to the south central feature, the central projection 
on the north side, and certain matters of detail, in regard to which it 
was understood in the beginning that further studies would be neces- 
sary to produce the best results. All of the alterations suggested by 
the architects, however, have been in the direction of securing greater 
simplicity and more perfect harmony in the several parts of the build- 
ing. These changes, approved in April last, insure the acquisition 
by the Government of a structure of exceptional dignity and merit, 
which will rank among the finest museum buildings of the world. 
Not least among its qualities is the massive character of the walls, 
which already count many pieces of granite weighing from 10 to 19 
tons apiece, a sufficient guaranty of its stability and permanence. 
The failure of one of the quarries to furnish stone within the time 
agreed upon has been the cause of some delay and has retarded the 
completion of the building until about two years hence, making the 
total period required for its erection about four years. Before the 
close of the year, however, practically all of the important additional 
contracts had been let, and it is expected that greater activity will 
prevail hereafter. 
SOME IMPORTANT MATTERS OF THE YEAR. 
A satisfactory conclusion has fortunately been reached regarding 
the worn-out roofs on the present Museum building, which, it has been 
found, can be entirely replaced without removing the collections below. 
Steps have been taken in this direction, and since the walls were very 
substantially constructed, there is no reason why the building may not 
soon be placed in even a better condition than it was originally. 
With the rapid increase in the national collections, which has lately 
averaged nearly a quarter of a million specimens annually, the Museum, 
