EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 59 



course of the year following that in which the award will have been 

 made. 



" The latter is to be made by a jury appointed by the King of the Bel 

 gians. This jury will be composed of seven members, three Belgians 

 and four foreigners of different nationalities." 



In reply Mr. Neyt was informed that his letter would be published in 

 the current report of the Institution, as being the place most likely to at- 

 tract the attention of persons interested in the offer of a prize, and the 

 fact that it was open to international competition. 



Centennial Commission. -~ An application was received during the year 

 from the executive council of the International Exhibition of 187G to take 

 charge of the archives of the exhibition, believed to be of great historical 

 importance and value, and the permanent preservation of whieh is con- 

 sidered a matter of much importance. It is accordingly proposed to 

 devote one of the fire-proof rooms in the new [National Museum to that 

 purpose; this being especially appropriate, since the building itself was 

 erected to receive the exhibition of the United States made at Philadel- 

 phia, as also the large mass of donations of objects of art, industry, and 

 economy presented to the United States by foreign nations. 



Armenian History. — The Institution has received from the Archbishop 

 of Trajanof, and general abbot of the Armenian Mekitrarian Institution 

 of Venice, the following letter, dated November 11, 1879 : 



" Knowing the interest taken by your Institution in the diffusion of 

 knowledge throughout the world, of whieh we have continued proofs in 

 the gifts Of books with which we are honored by you, I have the honor 

 to submit to your kindness the following request: 



" Considering the want of education of the eastern nations, who 

 now, by new political conditions, awake to a new life of progress, and 

 considering also their scanty means of partaking of all those benefits 

 which are the enjoyment of civilized nations, especially in these years 

 of great poverty, we have undertaken to procure means by which we 

 might publish and distribute gratuitously useful books of general and 

 popular knowledge. As this, our object, involves great expense, we 

 hope that the societies of the Old and New Worlds will hasten to our 

 assistance. We have already prepared in our monastery, in the Ar- 

 menian language, a large work on Armenia, comprising a description 

 connected with ancient and modern history of its towns, villages, public 

 establishments, monuments, churches, monasteries, &c, a complete work 

 which we hope will be very interesting, not only to Armenian scholars, 

 but also to such orientalists as make a particular study of the old history 

 of eastern nations. We are about to begin its publication, which win 

 be with many maps and illustrations. This will be a difficult task, 

 especially at this time; wherefore we hope that your Institution will fee' 

 the interest of such work and generously help us to publish it worthily." 



