116 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1912. 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 



Senator Bacon submitted the report of the executive committee for 

 the fiscal year ending June 30, 1911, stating that the members of the 

 board had been supplied with copies in printed form. 



On motion, the report was adopted. 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PERMANENT COMMITTEE. 



The secretary, on behalf of the permanent committee, presented the 

 following report to the board : 



" Cottrell fatents. — Announcement was made at the meeting of 

 February 9, 1911, of a proposed gift to the Institution, made through 

 Prof. F. G. Cottrell, of royalty-bearing patents. The board, after 

 discussion, adopted a resolution referring the matter of the suggested 

 donation to the permanent committee. 



" Your committee has carefully considered the proposition and is 

 of the opinion, strengthened by the opinions of Judge Gray and Mr. 

 Charles F. Choate, jr.. Regents of the Institution, that it is inad- 

 visable for the Institution to accept the direct ownership of such 

 patent rights, but that there might be no objection to receiving the 

 net profits of such a gift. The committee respectfully presents the 

 following draft of resolutions to the board for such action as it may 

 deem proper : 



"Resolved, That the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution do not 

 deem it expedient for the Institution to become the direct owner of the proposed 

 gift of royalty-bearing patents; 



"Resolved further, That the Board of Regents of the Smitlisonian Institution 

 decide that the Institution may proi^erly accept a declaration of trust from the 

 owners of the patents to hold and operate the same in the interest of the Insti- 

 tution, and to pay over to the said Institution the net profits therefrom." 



[The secretary described the nature of the patents, covering the 

 processes used in the precipitation of solid particles from gases and 

 smoke produced in smelters and cement plants. He stated that con- 

 siderable injury had been suffered by orchards and crops in the neigh- 

 borhood of the great cement plants in California, and that the com- 

 panies had been subject to damage suits. The precipitation process 

 had removed the particles of cement from the smoke and gases. Fur- 

 thermore, the smoke in some smelters had been found to contain lead 

 and other metals which could be removed by this process and thus 

 save what otherwise would be lost. It was desired to form a com- 

 pan}^ of business men and experts who could manage the patents and 

 turn over the profits to the Institution. The work of the members 

 of this company Avould be largely altruistic. They would give their 

 attention to its affairs very much in the same manner as the Regents 

 conduct the affairs of the Institution. They would employ a capable 

 manager and assistants, who would look after the management and 



