REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 121 



Appropriation for preservation of the Government collec- 

 tions for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877, (Digest 

 of Appropriations, 1877, p. 106) $10,000 00 



Expenditure from July 1 to December 31, 187G 5, 000 S6 



Balance unexpended January, 1877 4, 009 14 



Appropriation for fitting up a separate building or labora- 

 tory for operations in natural history, (act July 31, 1876; 

 Digest, 1877, p. 106) 3,000 00 



Expenditure from July 1 to December 31, 1876 3, 000 00 



Appropriation " for repairing and fitting up the so-called 

 Armory buildiug on the mall, between Sixth and Seventh 

 streets, and to enable the Smithsonian Institution to store 

 therein and take care of specimens of the extensive series 

 of the ores of the precious metals, marbles, building-stones, 

 coals, and numerous objects of natural history, now on 

 exhibition in Philadelphia, including other objects of 

 practical and economical value, presented by various for 

 eign governments to the National Museum, four thousand 

 five hundred dollars : Provided, That the said sum shall be 

 expended under the direction of the secretary of the' 

 Smithsonian Institution," (act July 31, 1876; Digest of 

 Appropriations, p. 106) 4, 500 00 



Expenditure from July 1 , 1876, to December 31, 1876 3, 916 23 



Balance unexpended January, 1877 583 77 



All the payments on account of the National Museum have been made 

 directly by the disbursing officer of the Department of the Interior, on 

 the presentation of vouchers approved by the secretary of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. 



SUMMARY. 



The executive committee have examined five hundred and forty-two 

 vouchers for payments made from the Smithson income during the 

 year 1876, and three hundred and nine vouchers for payments made 

 from the congressional appropriations for the National Museum, making 

 a total of eight hundred and fifty-one vouchers. 



All of these vouchers have the approval of the secretary of the Insti- 

 tution, and a certificate setting forth that the materials and property 

 and services rendered were for the Institution and to be applied to the 

 purposes specified. 



" The committee have also examined the account-books of the National 

 Museum, and find the balances of $4,909.14 and $583.77( =$5,492.91) to 

 the credit of the Institution to correspond with the certificate of the 

 disbursing clerk of the Department of the Interior. 



