8 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1906. 
as well as the Smithsonian building, has been turned into a veritable 
storehouse of valuable material. Year by year the exhibition cases 
have been brought closer and closer together, and great spaces have 
been shut off from the public view to permit of the shelter of thou- 
sands of new accessions, whose importance can only be revealed upon 
the completion of the new building. In this manner the freedom of 
circulation through the building has been much curtailed, and its con- 
tents have become so crowded that it has been deemed a matter of 
prudence to close, as far as possible, the great openings of the inner 
walls, in order to isolate the different sections and prevent the spread 
of fire, should one occur. This work has already been started, but 
some time will be required for its completion. 
As an additional fire precaution experiments are in progress look- 
ing to the fitting up of the storerooms and laboratories with metal 
cases, having especially in view the requirements of the new building, 
and the importance of providing absolute protection for the reserve 
collections. 
The collections of the Museum were increased during the year to 
the extent of about 257,000 specimens. In ethnology large accessions 
were received from Arizona and New Mexico, the Philippine Islands 
and Malaysia, and smaller but important ones from the Egyptian 
Sudan, Austria, and Colombia. The additions in archeology, less 
extensive but of great interest, came mainly from Japan, France, 
Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia, Mexico, and Florida. The zollections 
in physical anthropology were mainly enriched by material from 
Malaysia and from ancient Indian ruins and mounds in the western 
and southwestern part of the United States. 
The exhibition of small arms, in the division of technology, has been 
made the finest in the country by the courtesy of the United States Car- 
tridge Company, of Lowell, Massachusetts, in depositing its valuable 
collection of 569 pieces, many of great rarity. All of the important 
typical features in the development of devices for throwing projectiles, 
from the crossbow to the latest form of gun and pistol, are repre- 
sented, requiring 38 large cases for their installation. To the collec- 
tion in aerodromics have been added original examples of the Lilien- 
thal and Hargrave aeroplanes. The manufacture of cut glass in all 
its stages and the recent advances in the potter’s art in America are 
illustrated by two beautiful series of examples. 
Through the British Indian government the division of historic 
religions acquired a valuable Tibetan manuscript on Buddhistic the- 
ology, and several important Jewish ceremonial objects were added to 
the Benguiat loan collection. 
The historical exhibits were enriched by many objects of interest 
and intrinsic value, including rich costumes and personal ornaments 
dating from the beginning of the last century and relics of Capt. 
