REPORT OF PROFESSOR HENRY, SECRETARY OF THE SMITH- 

 SONIAN INSTITUTION, FOR 1876. 



To the Board of Regents of the Smitlisonian Institution : 



Gentlemen : I have the honor herewith to preseut to your honorable 

 board the report of the condition and operations of the Smithsonian 

 Institution during the year 1875. In presenting this report, I am happy 

 to be able to inform you that nothing has occurred since the close of 

 your last session which in the least degree has interfered with the pros- 

 perity of this establishment. On the contrary, it will be manifest from 

 the report that the Institntion has continued with unabated energy to 

 carry out the intention of its founder, as expressed in the terms of his 

 will, by increasing and diffusing knowledge among men. 



The several annual reports of the Secretary are intended to form a 

 continnous history of the Institution, and, therefore, it is necessary to 

 state, what is already known to the Regents, that since the date of the 

 last report several changes have taken place in the board. Among the 

 first of these we have to mention is that occasioned by the death of the 

 late Vice-President of the United States, Hon. Henry Wilson. He was 

 ex-officio a member of the board, and took part in the deliberations of its 

 last session. In his death science and education have lost a warm 

 friend, who always exerted his influence for their advancement. He 

 ever advocated all propositions submitted to Congress for explorations 

 and researches which might extend the bounds of knowledge. In two 

 previous instances of vacancy in the office of Vice-President, the place 

 in the Board of Regents was supplied first by the Hon. L. F. S. Foster, 

 of Connecticut, and, second, by the Hon. B. F. Wade, presiding officers 

 at the time of the Senate. In conformity with this usage, the place of 

 Mr. Wilson will be filled by the Hon. T. W. Ferry. 



The Speaker of the House of Representatives, in accordance with the 

 law of organization of the Institution, has filled the vacancies occasioned 

 by the expiration of tlie term of service of Messrs. Cox, Hoar, and Ha- 

 zelton, by the appointment as Regents from the House of Representa- 

 tives of the Hon. Hiester Clymer, of Pennsylvania, Hon. B. H. Hill, of 

 Georgia, and the Hon. G. W. McCrary, of Iowa. 



The operations of the Institution at present consist principally of two 

 classes : first, of those relating to the immediate objects of the bequest, 

 viz, the increase and difi'usion of knowledge among men, through re- 

 searches, publications, and exchanges ; and, second, those which per- 

 tain to the care and management of the Government collections in nat- 



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