REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 3 



wing of the Smithsonian Institution fire-proof, in continuation of pre- 

 vious appropriations for the same purpose made and applied to the 

 main portion of the building. 



FINANCES. 



The report of the executive committee, which has just been presented 

 to you, presents the details of the financial condition of the Institution 

 proper, and a report upon the expenditure of items placed by Congress 

 under its direction. The sale of the Virginia bonds mentioned in the 

 last report is still believed to have been wise, and has removed all 

 source of anxiety as to the stability or amount of the funds permanently 

 invested from which a regular income could be depended on. With an 

 aggregate fund of $703,000 in the United States Treasury, the income 

 of the Smithsonian Institution amounts to $42,180. This, with a bal- 

 ance on hand at the beginning of the year, has furnished the fund from 

 which the expenses proper are paid. These are classified under the 

 several heads of building, general expenses, publications and researches, 

 and literary and scientific exchanges. 



What has heretofore been a very great item of expense — from $9,000 

 to $11,000 — connected with the international exchanges, has been 

 greatly reduced by the appropriation of Congress made specifically for 

 that purpose. This expenditure is either directly in the interest of 

 the country at large, or that of the Government bureaus and of the 

 Library of Congress, and it is, therefore, eminently proper that the 

 whole amount should be refunded. The Secretary of State has ac- 

 cordingly asked for an appropriation of $10,000 for the coming fiscal 

 year, instead of the $5,000, which is at present available. This saving- 

 will enable the Institution to extend its labors liberally in the direction 

 of researches and publications, as well as be available for the unusually 

 heavy repairs required in connection with the Smithsonian building. 



After successive additions to the appropriation for a fire-proof building 

 of the National Museum the account has been finally closed by returning 

 $13.27 to the Treasury. 



The available balance of the Smithsonian Institution for the expendi- 

 tures of the first half of the year 1882, according to the report of the 

 executive committee, amounts to $29,637.45. 



BUILDINGS OF THE INSTITUTION. 



Smithsonian Building. — No unusual expenditure has been required to 

 keep this edifice in good order, although a certain amount of wear and 

 tear has of course been necessarily provided for. Some important 

 changes have, however, been made, adding greatly to the facilities for 

 work. The entire basement has been put in thorough order j the floors, 

 walls, and ceilings covered with a thick coat of whitewash, answering 

 the double purpose of a sanitary protection and of increasing the 

 amount of light; the improvement in the latter respect being very 



