XIV JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 



Since lliis resoliitiou, the collections of the Museum bave enormously 

 increased, so that before a new building could now be completed the 

 material pressing for display would more than cover the entire area of 

 such a building as the present one. It seems absolutely necessary that 

 the new building should contain, beside a basement, at least two stories, 

 it being indispensable to have, apart from the purposes of display, 

 upper rooms for the preparation of the exhibits below. 



The price of material has risen very greatly, so that, owing to these 

 combined causes, the estimate of 1883 is not applicable to the wants of 

 to d;iy. The Secretary did not conceive that any supi)lementary action 

 on the part of the Regents was now needed, but submitted these plans 

 and estimates that they might be advised of the probable vei'y consider- 

 able increase in the sum that it would now be necessary to ask of Con- 

 gress. 



The Chief Justice, being obliged to leave here, resigned the chair to 

 Senator Morrill. 



The Secretary stated that in connection with this subject of the plans 

 he would present a letter from Mr. Class, of the firm of Cluss & 

 Schulze, architects, asking for " an equitable compensatioii " for pro- 

 fessional services and expenses in former years, in connection with a 

 proposed building for the Museum. 



On motion of General Meigs, it was 



Resolved, That Messrs. Cluss & Schulze be informed that the ques- 

 tion of compensation to them for plans for a new Museum building 

 will be considered when they shall present such a bill as can be sub- 

 mitted for Congressional action. 



The Secretary recalled to the attention of the Eegents a statement 

 made at their last meeting, to the fact that bills had been brought be- 

 fore Congress making an appropriation for the purpose of establishing 

 a Zoological Park under a Board of Commissioners, of whom the Secre- 

 tary of the Smithsonian Institution was one, and directing this Com- 

 mission, after purchasing and laying out the land and erecting the 

 necessary buildings, to turn it over to the Regents. The bill as since 

 actually passed, however, only instructed the Commissioners to pur- 

 chase the land 5 and, while declaring the Park to be for the advance- 

 ment of science, gave no intimation of the intent of Congress about its 

 ultimate disposal. This Commission has nearly completed the purchase, 

 and the time has now arrived when the Park may advantageously be 

 placed under scientific direction. He could not, of course, anticipate 

 what the final action of Congress would be in the matter, but he was 

 authorized to state that the Commission would feel satisfied if Congress 

 should place the Park under the Regents' control. There is an increas- 

 ing collection of animals already in the Regents' care, and an appropria- 

 tion of $50,000 has been asked for, to provide for its establishment in 

 the newly acquired Park, which, within its large area, would also pro- 

 vide suitable retirement for the small physical observ-atory already 



