38 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



6. The ventilation of the southeast gallery appears to be insuffi- 

 cient. 



This examination, which included the estimation of 65 samples of air, 

 and numerous hygrometric and anemometric observations, agrees sub- 

 stantially as to results with those undertaken by Professor Henry and 

 Dr. Charles M. Wetherill in 1865-'66 (House Ex. Doc. No. 100, Thirty- 

 ninth Congress), and by Dr. Charles Smart, U. S. A., in 1880 (MS. re- 

 port to the Advisory Board). 



N^avy Department. — Eeference has been made in previous reports to 

 the arrangement by which, at the request of the Navy Department, 

 the institution received for three successive years six Ensigns, and 

 assigned them to duty in various sections of the National Museum 

 for the purpose of enabling them to become acquainted with certain 

 branches of science, such as chemistry, mineralogy, geology, ethnology, 

 general natural history, &c., in order that in their subsequent cruises 

 they might be more useful. Three details of the kind have been made, 

 none, however, in 1884, the Department having found it inexpedient to 

 continue the arrangement. Most of the gentlemen already detailed 

 have also been reclaimed and assigned to duty. Two of these Ensigns, 

 Messrs. Miner and Garrett, are now on the Fish Commission steamer 

 "Albatross." Ensign Hayde/i was detached in October and ordered 

 to duty, first at the Cambridge Observatory and subsequently to the 

 United States Geological Survey. At present there are but two of 

 these gentlemen left, and they are daily expecting their orders. 



The experiment in connection with these junior officers of the Navy 

 has been very satisfactory as far as it has gone, and there can be no 

 doubt that the increased range of information thus acquired by the 

 eighteen gentlemen so detailed will be utilized to a greater or less ex- 

 tent in the future. 



As in previous years, the Navy Department has had charge of the 

 administration of the department of materia medica in the National 

 Museum, which renders unnecessary the establishment of a similar 

 bureau in the Navy Department itself. The first officer detailed by the 

 Medica] Department for this purpose was Dr. J. M. Flint, under whose 

 efficient administration the collection was thoroughly organized and 

 placed in working order. On Dr. Flint's transfer to the steamer "Alba- 

 tross," in 1884, Dr. H. J. Beyer, of the Navy, was ordered to his place, 

 and gives general satisfaction. 



Lieutenant Bowles, attached to the TJ. S. S. "Adams," stationed at 

 Sitka for some time past, was enabled to make some interesting collec- 

 tions for the National Museum, and when this vessel was under orders 

 to return to San Francisco, Lieutenant Bowies made application for an 

 exchange of service with an officer of the "Pinta," so as to remain on 

 that vessel and continue his work. This request was granted by the 

 Navy Department with its usual courtesy. 



