REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 41 



family of children and grandchildren, the chances of an inheritance by 

 the Smithsonian Institution are practically none. 



The next bequest was that of $1,000, made by Mr. James Hamilton, 

 of Carlisle; and the third and last, by Dr. Habel, amounting, with a 

 small addition made from the income of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 to $500 ; or $1,500, the two combined. 



These two sums have been, in accordance with the law, paid into the 

 Treasury of the United States, as an addition to the i)rincipal. 



The endowment of the Smithsonian Institution, at the present time, 

 amounts to $703,000, deposited in the United States Treasury, and it is 

 authorized to increase this amount to $1,000,000. A large part of the 

 expenses of the Institution consists in what may be called statical items, 

 such as salaries, repairs of building, &c. ; and it is very evident that 

 the amount available for active operations is not at all represented by 

 the annual income of the fund. It is quite probable that the increase of 

 the endowment by 40 or 50 per cent, would permit the Institution nearly 

 to double the work accomplished, as it would require no increase of 

 force or incidental expenditure. 



Naval Cadets. — In- the American naval service, the cadets start with 

 four years' study in the Naval Academy at Annapolis. They are then 

 sent to sea for two years, and do not obtain the rank of midshipman 

 until they have passed an examination at the end of this period, or of 

 six years after their entrance. They are then sent to sea again, or 

 placed on waiting orders. 



About a year ago the Navy Department made inquiry of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution as to its willingness to receive six recently appointed 

 midshipmen, and assign them to some duty in the Institution or National 

 Museum that would enable them to take advantage of any opportuni- 

 ties they might have for natural-history research during their future 

 cruises, with the understanding that they were to be treated in every 

 way as regular employes of the Institution, and required to do regular 

 work. 



The proposition was responded to favorably and the six cadets were 

 assigned respectively to the curators of Ichthyology, Marine Inverte- 

 brates, Ethnology, Paleontology, Geology, and Mineralogy. The expe- 

 riment, somewhat unexpectedly, has proved to be a very great success. 

 The young gentlemen devoted themselves earnestly to their work, and 

 became quite proficient in it. 



A course of special instruction was given in regard to the taxidermy 

 of mammals and birds, which all the midshipmen attended with great 

 diligence, becoming quite expert in the preparation of skeletons and 

 in making excellent skins of mammals and birds. 



The two assigned to ichthyology and mariue invertebrates were de- 

 tailed for service on board the Fish Commission steamer "Fish Hawk," 

 where they had ample opportunity of becoming familiar with collecting 



