PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. XXIX 



For iiparly soventy-five ycjirs tho body of Smitlison has lain in an almost 

 forgotten grave in tlie ]tit'tnros(ine little l>ritisli cemetery on the heights ot San 

 Benigno, in (Jenoa. t'ity iinprTivements have now rendered necessary the expro- 

 priation of the cemetery and -the reiyoval of the remains: and at the last meet- 

 ing of the Board of Regents of the Smithsoinan Institution I was appointed a 

 i'onnnittee to arrange for the transfer of the hody of Smitlison to the IMnted 

 States. 



T'pon my arrival in Genoa 1 was afforded (>very possible facility for the 

 accomiilishment of my mission by the iiro\incial and mnnici)ial authorities, by 

 His Hi-itish Majesty's consul-gen<M"al (.Mr. Keeue). and by the conunittee of the 

 British Burial (Jronnd Fund .Association, in which is vested the ownership of 

 the cemetery, as well as by onr own consul, Mr. William Henry Bishop, to 

 whom I am indebted for invalnable assistance. 



On the .">1st of December, 1^0.■^ the toivil) of Snuthson was opened in my 

 pi'esence as the reuresentative of the Snuthsonian Institntion, and in the 

 presence of the American consul. Mr. Bishop, and six other witnesses. The 

 remains of James Smitlison were reverentl.v raised from the grave and placed 

 ill a metallic casket, over which the consnl of the United States cast tlie Ameri- 

 can tlag, while the witnesses stood aronnd with uncovered heads. 



The casket was left in the mortnarv chapel of the cemetery — secnrel.v sealed 

 and under guard — until the '-!d day of January, 1004, when it was placed in a 

 coffin of strong wood, as re(iuired b.v Italian law, and was then removed to the 

 North German Lloyd steamship Princess Irene, accompanied by the American 

 consul and m.vself. 



The steamer left Genoa on the Ttli of Januarv ; and upon arrival in the 

 United States the remains of James Smithson were received with national 

 honors b,v direction of the I'resident and of the Secretar.v of the Nav.v and the 

 Secretar.v of War. 



The remains were transported to Washington on the U. S. dis|patcli boat 

 ])<ili)Jiiii, and have been escorted to the Smithsonian Institution l>y United 

 States cavalry. 



.\nd now, Mr. Senator, my mission is ended, and I deliver into your hands, as 

 the representative of the Board of Itegents of the Smithsonian Institution, the 

 remains of this great benefactor of the United States. 



REM.\I{KS or SKXATOi; FUYE. 



Sir: The Smithsonian Institution receives with profound gratitude the 

 remains of its distinguished founder. I'rovidence, every now and then, seems 

 to place in the world a man and inspires him with a ]inr]»ose to eli'vate his 

 fellow-men. Su<'h a man was Mr. Smitlison, the founder of this Institution. 

 The spirit, sir, whi«-li prompted you to such earnest end(>avor, resulting as it 

 did in taking these remains from their resting place in a country foreign to 

 him and foreign to us, and bringing them here, where for so many years we 

 have en.io.ved the rich fruits of his .sjilendid benefaction, ,vour countrymen will 

 appreciate. His grave here will be an incentive to earnest, faithful, wise, and 

 discreet endeavor to carry out his lofty purposes, and, sir, it will be to our 

 people a sacred spot while the Republic endiu'es. 



Appendix II. — Report of .Mr. (lilherl TI . (Irosrciior. M. A., ronceruhiri the cor- 

 respoiideiiec irJiieJi resulted in ttic coopcrdlion of llic I'liited Kttites (lorern- 

 ment in tr(tnsporti)i<! the rcnuiins of ./(uncs .s'y///7//.s-oy/ from Afwr )'orl- to tite 

 SniitJixonian I)istitiilion in Washini/ton. J). ('. 



IIuECARD Memorial Hall, 

 Washington, D. C. Jitnuarn iS. 190',. 

 Dear Mr. Bell: I beg to submit the following report on arrangements for 

 the reception of James Smithson. On January 7 I received the following cable- 

 gram from .vou : 



" (iENOA, .liiniiiirji 7, Uni'i. 

 " Gilbert Gro.svenor, 



'' iMenioriiit BiiiJdinii. Si.rtrciiiJi and I/, W'n.stiinf/lon. I). ('. 

 "We bring Smitlison's remains steamslii|i Princess frmr. toui-iiing .Xaiiles 

 and (Jibraltar. Sc<' Henderson, Hitt. Langley al)ont foi-malilics of landing and 

 transfei- to Washington. 



"(iRAHAM liEI.L." 



