166 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1956 



Further safety measures were taken by obtaining spotlights for the 

 launch and by having all the fire extinguishers recharged by the Fire 

 Division. 



The dock proper is joined to a large platform covered with corru- 

 gated roofing and used for storage purposes. A portion of the roofing 

 caved in because of rot-infested roof timbers. This damage was 

 quickly repaired, and the new lumber was treated with preservatives 

 to retard decay. 



URGENT REQUIREMENTS 



The most urgent requirement of the island, which has been referred 

 to in the preceding section, is a safe and permanent supply of drinking 

 water. This problem is expected to be resolved during the coming 

 fiscal year. 



The island dock still presents a perennial problem, but funds have 

 been made available to provide for its relocation. Engineering studies 

 will be made to determine the most suitable location for rebuilding 

 the dock so that the silting of the channel will not present an annual 

 problem. 



The construction of the dry rooms referred to earlier in this report 

 is urgently required so that scientists may store in safety such property 

 as suitcases, cameras and their carrying cases, winter clothing, and 

 shoes. 



Since the termite infestation of the floor in the new building has 

 been eliminated, the floors must be repainted soon. 



The engine and hoist, which provide the only means of lifting heavy 

 shipments of supplies and equipment from the dock to the laboratory 

 level, must be replaced as soon as possible. Though the existing equip- 

 ment has given many years of fine service, it is now worn out, break- 

 downs are frequent, and repairs are more and more difficult to make. 



Only two of the trail-end houses, the Drayton and the Fuertes, are 

 in usable condition, the others being in a very bad state of disrepair 

 and so cannot be used. 



Now that better facilities are available for preserving books, much 

 work has to be done on the existing library, such as the rebinding and 

 repair of old, valuable, and irreplaceable publications and the binding 

 of series of scientific journals. Essential scientific reference texts and 

 publications which are not included in the existing collection should 

 be procured. Provision must be made to accommodate library mate- 

 rial being transferred from the Balboa office to the island. Some of 

 this is property of the bureau, but a large portion of it represents the 

 personal collection of Mr. Zetek who has indicated that he plans to 

 donate these fine publications to the island library. His generosity 

 is greatly appreciated. 



The laboratory in the new building and its related storerooms have 

 to be equipped and properly organized. Funds have been provided 



