JOURNAL OF THE BOARD. 165 



not again occur, and that no i)recedent is to be given for the use of the 

 buihling for other i)urposes : 



Resolved., That the use of the new National Museum buihling be 

 granted for the inaugural receptiou of the President of the United 

 States, on the 4th of March, 1881, and that the Secretary of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution be authorized to make all necessary arrangements 

 for this purpose. 



The Board then adjourned, at 12:30 r. m. 



Washington, January 19, 1881. 



In accordance with a resolution of the Board of Regeuts of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution fixing the time of the beginning of the annual session 

 on the third Wednesday in January of each year, the Board met to-day 

 at 10:30 o'clock, A. m. 



Present: The Chancellor, Chief Justice M. R. Waitt;; the Vice-Presi- 

 dent of the United States, Hon. W. A. Wheeler ; Hon. R. E. Withers, 

 Hon. H. Clymer, General W. T. Sherman, Hon. Peter Parker, Rev. Dr. 

 John Maclean, Dr. Henry Coppee, Dr. Noah Porter, and the Secretary, 

 Professor Baird. 



Excuses for absence on accouiit of sickness were received from Hon. 

 Hannibal Hamlin and Hon. Newton Booth. The minutes of the last 

 meeting were read and approved. The Secretary [)resented a statement 

 of the finances of the Institution. 



Dr. Parker, Chairman of the Executive Committee, presented the an- 

 nual report of the Committee, which was read. 



On motion of Dr. Porter the following resolutions were adopted: 



Resolved., That the report of the Executive Committee for 1880 be ac- 

 cepted. 



Resolved, That the income for the year 1881 be appropriated for the 

 service of the Institution upon the basis of the above report, to be ex- 

 pended by the Secretary with full discretion as to the items, subject to 

 the approval of the Executive Committee. 



General Sherman, Chairman of the National Museum Building Com- 

 mission, presented a report of the operations of the Commission and of 

 the Architects for the year 1880, which were read, and, on motion of Mr. 

 Clymer, accepted. 



The Secretary stated that he had been informed by the American 

 Consul at Genoa, Italy, that the corner-posts of the railing around the 

 tomb of James Smithson required resetting and the fence straightening, 

 and he asked authority to have this done. 



On motion of General Sherman it was 



Resolved, That suitable measures be taken by the Secretary for the 

 repair and preservation of the tomb of Smithson and its inclosure. 



The Secretary presented his annual report of the operations, expendi- 

 tures, and condition of the Institution for the year 1880, which was read 

 in part. 



