REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. i 



or by ConoTOHS to the people of the United States, but was designed 

 for all men. The sprekdin^ abroad of the work done l)y seientitie men 

 in this countr}', the bringing to the knowledge of our own workers 

 the researehe.s of men of Other lands, the aiding in international con- 

 gresses which take ])lace from time to time in various countries, the 

 promotion, in short, of friendly relations and useful cooperation 

 among scientific men the world over, and the advice and support to 

 our Government in such relations wherever possible, may be counted 

 in no small measure among the important works which the Institution 

 is carrying on. 



TUB RE:NroVAL of the remains of JAMES SMITHSON. 



The remains of flames Smithson, founder of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, who died fJune 27, 1821>, at Genoa, Italy, were deposited in the 

 little cemetery belonging to the English church, on the heights of San 

 Benigno, a solitary spot planted with cypress trees, and looking down 

 upon the Gulf of Genoa. In 181U the Secretary of the Institution 

 visited the grave, and, with the approval of the regents, deposited with 

 the secretary of the English church fund a small sum to invest in Italian 

 5 per cent rents, for its perpetual care. It was visited on two later 

 occasions by the Secretary, who placed a bronze tablet containing a 

 bas-relief of Smithson, in the English church, and one also at the 

 tomb, wdience it was subsecjuently stolen. 



In previous reports mention has been made of the suggested removal 

 of the remains of Mr. Smithson to America, in view of the proljability 

 that before many years the site of the cemeter}^ might be required by 

 the Italian authorities. In accordance with the resolution of the 

 Regents adopted December S, 1008 (see p. 3), appointing him a com- 

 mittee to take charge of the removal of the the remains from Genoa 

 to Washington, Dr. Alexander (iraham Bell, accompanied by Mrs. 

 Bell, sailed on the lOtli of December for the port of Ch(>r))ourg in 

 France, and going thence to Genoa, commenced at once the ari'ange- 

 ments for the transfer of the remains, arrangements which would have 

 occupied a (|uite indefinite time and incurred a corresponding delay 

 except for the aid given by the United States consul, Mr. William 

 Henry Bishop, which Dr. Bell gladly acknowledges. 



On opening tiie tomb in the presence of Di'. Bell, the United States 

 consul, Noel Lees, esq. (otiicial re})resentative of the British Burial 

 Ground Fund Association), and other witnesses, it was found that the 

 remains of Smithson, represented by the skeleton, were in fair j)reser- 

 vation, although the wooden coflin in which they had been inclosed 

 had molded away. The remains were placed in a metal casket antl 

 deposited in the mortuary chapel of the cemetei'v, wlieie they rested 

 until January '2, when the casket was ineloscMl in a coflin of strong 

 wood and covered with the American flag by Consul liishop. On this 



