APPENDIX TO THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 115 



ACTS ANT) RESOLUTIONS OF CONGRESS RELATIVE TO THE 

 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, AND THE NATIONAL MU- 

 SEUM. 



Forty-fifth Congress, Third Session, 1878-'79. 



AN ACT to aid in the protection of the public buildings and property against loss and 



damage by lire. 



Be it enacted by the Senate and JLm.se of Representatives of the United 

 States of America in Congress assembled. That a commission composed 

 of the Commissioner of Patents, the Supervising Architect of the Treas- 

 ury Department, and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution is 

 hereby constituted and authorized to examine such automatic signal 

 telegraph systems as may be submitted to them by the owners and agents 

 thereof and to ascertain which of the same is best adapted for the pur- 

 pose of the earliest and most certain transmission by signal of the occur- 

 rence of fire, and also the adaptability, usefulness, and need of the same 

 for the further protection of the buildings and property of the govern- 

 ment in the several departments in Washington, and to report the re- 

 sults of their examination to the next session of Congress. 



Approved, December 13, 1878. 



(Statutes of the United States, Forty-fifth Congress, third session, 

 chapter 4, page 257.) 



AN ACT authorizing the Chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution to appoint an Act- 

 ing Secretary in certain cases. 



Be it enacted by the Senate and Souse of Representatives of the United 

 States of America in Congress assembled, That in the case of the death, 

 resignation, sickness, or absence of the Secretary of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, the Chancellor thereof shall be, and he is hereby, authorized 

 to appoint some person as Acting Secretary, who for the time being shall 

 be clothed with all the powers and duties which by law are devolved 

 upon the Secretary, and he shall hold said position until an election of 

 Secretary shall be duly made, or until the Secretary shall be restored to 

 his health, or, if absent, shall return and enter upon the duties of his office. 



Approved, January 21, 1879. 



(Statutes of the United States, Forty-fifth Congress, third session, 

 chapter 21, page 264. 



AN ACT making appropriations for the service of the Post Office Department for the 

 liseal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty, and for other pur- 

 poses. 



Sec. 20. That mailable matter of the fourth class shall embrace all 

 matter not embraced in the first, second, or third class which is not in 

 its form or nature liable to destroy, deface, or otherwise damage the 

 contents of the mail-bag, or harm the person of any one engaged in the 

 postal service, and is not above the weight provided by law, which is 

 hereby declared to be not exceeding four pounds for each package 

 thereof, except in case of single books weighing in excess of that amount, 



