48 ANNUAL, REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1920. 



samples of the official tea standards used from 1915 to 1920 to con- 

 trol the quality of the foreign teas imported by the United States 

 were added to the collections of animal and vegetable products. 



Mineral technology. — In the division of mineral technology the 

 principal addition was a working model of a salt works, donated by 

 the Worcester Salt Co., being a replica of that company's operations 

 near Warsaw, New York. A system of circulating water is caused to 

 mine the native salt, bring it in solution to the surface, and finally 

 to surrender it, the whole taking place before the visitor's eyes. The 

 National Lead Co. contributed 26 large transparencies and about 600 

 exhibition samples needed in completing the comprehensive exhibit 

 illustrating the lead industry undertaken several years ago and 

 which now lacks only competent technical direction in installation. 

 The work of the division was largely at a standstill by the transfer 

 elsewhere in the Museum at the beginning of the year of one of the 

 members of its scientific staff and the resignation soon afterwards 

 of the remaining two members. Mr. Gilbert, after severing active 

 relations, continued under appointment on an honorary basis to give 

 advisory supervision over these collections, all of which had been 

 developed under his direction. It is hoped another year will find this 

 division manned and again to the front, as it was so signally during 

 the period of the war. 



Mechanical technology. — Probably the most important addition 

 to the collections of the division of mechanical technology during 

 the year was a 12-cylinder Liberty airplane motor, the gift of the 

 Lincoln Motor Co., various portions of which are cut away to show 

 the interior parts in operative relation. Another accession of note 

 was a replica of the original typographer, invented and patented by 

 William Austin Burt in 1829, donated by his grandson, Mr. Hiram 

 Austin Burt. As representative of the early beginnings of the 

 American typewriter this forms a very important addition to the 

 exhibit, showing the development of the typewriter. The time- 

 keeping collections were enhanced by the gift of two watches from 

 Mr. George W. Spier, honorary custodian of watches. In the sec- 

 tion of marine transportation there was added a model of one of 

 the freight ships built at Hog Island Shipyard in 1919, received 

 from the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, through 

 Senator Wesley L. Jones, chairman. 



Early in the year plans for the future development of the division 

 of mechanical technology were formulated, the end in view being 

 a museum of engineering. Accordingly, the collections in care of 

 the division were first rearranged in the halls, the basis of rear- 

 rangement being the kind of object rather than the source; thus, 

 one hall now includes all objects relating to land and aerial trans- 



