14 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



tiire to which the Institution had been subjected by reason of the ac- 

 commodation and uuxintenance of the National Museum, and asking 

 that the usual appropriation of $4,000 that liad been made on this 

 account be increased to $10,000 ; also, that $25,000 be appropriated 

 to\yard fitting up the large room in the second story of the main build- 

 ing, for the better exhibition of the government collections. In accord- 

 ance with this resolution a petition was prepared, signed by the Chan- 

 cellor and Secretary of the Institution, and presented to the House of 

 Representatives by General Garfield, one of the Regents. It was re- 

 ferred to the Committee on Appropriations, and although forcibly ad- 

 vocated by the members of the Board belonging to the House, it was not 

 granted, and only the usual sum was appropriated. The same memo- 

 rial has, through the Secretary of the Interior, again been presented to 

 Congress. The reasonableness of this petition must be manifest when 

 it is considered that $4,000 is the sum which the maintenance of the 

 museum cost the government when it was in charge of the Patent Ofhce, 

 and that since its removal to the Institution it has increased to three 

 times its original size, while the money has depreciated to one-half its 

 former value. From an accurate analysis of the accounts it appears 

 that the items directly chargeable to the museum during the past year 

 amount to $15,000. This sum is exclusive of the interest on $144,000, 

 which has been expended* since the fire in the restoration of the build- 

 ing, principally for the accommodations for the museum. Owing to the 

 fall in the premium on gold, and the non-i^ayment of interest by the 

 State of Virginia on bonds held by the Institution, the income during 

 the past year has been less than the estimate by upward of $2,400. It 

 has, therefore, been necessary to diminish expenditures in certain direc- 

 tions, in order to carry out the plan of accumulating a sufficient surplus 

 in the treasury at the beginning of the year to defray, in cash, as far as 

 possible, all the current expenses. From the report of the Executive 

 Committee it will be seen that this plan has been rigorously carried out ; 

 that the balance on hand at the beginning of 1870 was nearly $21,000, 

 with outstanding bills of $3,000, which is about the amount of indebted- 

 ness at the commencement of last year. The finances of the Institution 

 may, therefore, be exhibited as follows : 

 The whole bequest of Smithson in the United States Treas- 

 ury $541, 379 G3 



Additions from savings, &c., also in the United States 



Treasury 108, 620 37 



Virginia State stock, ($72,760,) valued at 42, 200 80 



Cash on hand 20, 969 65 



Total 713, 170 45 



Deduct bills due, (about) 2, 969 65 



Which leaves, as the present capital 710, 200 80 



