50 KEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



ingtou. Arrangements will now be made to unpack these articles and 

 place them where they will be most accessible to all persons interested. 



Memorial Objects in the Pension Building. — One of the largest and most 

 imposing buildings in Washington is the one being erected under the 

 direction of General Meigs, in Judiciary Square, for the use of the Pen- 

 sion Office. A part of the architectural effect of this building consists 

 in a series of columns of enormous size, and the happy thought occurred 

 'to General Meigs of making each column the depository of the archives 

 and documents relating to the history of a Department of the Govern- 

 ment. .The offer of a column to the Smithsonian Institution was 

 promptly made use of by furnishing a series of documents giving some 

 notice of the past history and present condition of the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution and the National Museum. 



Instructions for Gave Research. — The Smithsonian Institution has al- 

 ways taken much interest in the investigations of caves for the purpose 

 of obtaining specimens of prehistoric man, and of extinct and recent 

 vertebrated animals. 



In addition to the large collections made by myself at various times 

 in this direction, and now forming part of the collections of the National 

 Museum, the proceeds of the Hamilton bequest have been devoted for 

 several years to this purpose. So far, however, the caves of the United 

 States have not been as productive in collections as those of Europe. 

 Having received very valuable collections of bones and relics from the 

 celebrated Kent's Cavern in England, made under the direction of Mr. 

 William Pengelly, that gentleman was asked to prepare a special treat- 

 ise on cave research, to be published by the Smithsonian Institution 

 in its Miscellaneous Collections. This offer has been kindly accepted, 

 and it is hoped that the manuscript will soon be received and put to 

 press. 



Abert Collection of Minerals. — Among the most important single con- 

 tributions to the National Museum during the year was that of four 

 cases of minerals, presented by Col. James T. Abert, of Washington 

 City, and constituting a large portion of the collection of his father, the 

 late Colonel Abert, of the Topographical Bureau. This collection, al- 

 though somewhat antiquated, from representing the condition of min- 

 eralogy more than twenty years ago, embraces a large number of very 

 rare and interesting minerals, the localities of which have for the most 

 part been exhausted, and which are now only procurable with great 

 difficulty. 



Obsequies of John Howard Payne. — Mr. John Howard Payne, so well 

 Iknown as the author of "Home, Sweet Home," died many years ago in 

 Tunis, during his incumbency of the office of United States consul at 

 that place. 



Desirous of rendering proper tribute to his memory, Mr. W. W. Cor- 

 coran, the eminent philanthropist of Washington, undertook to have 

 these remains transferred to the United States and placed under a 

 suitable monument in the Oak Hill Cemetery near Washington. 



