REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 19 



The east room, used for tlie meeting of the Kegents, has liad such 

 improvements made in its ventilation as the defective construction of 

 the buihling in tliis respect admitted, and I have taken occasion to draw 

 on the different departments of the Smitlisonian for its furniture, so 

 tliat this may recall in some measure the various interests under the 

 Regents' care. 



RESEARCHES. 



From the foundation of the Institution the promotion of original re- 

 search has been regarded as one of its important functions under the 

 general provision of Smithsou's bequest, and by encouraging and facili- 

 tating the discovery of new truths it is obvious that the primary pur- 

 l)ose of the founder — the increase of knowledge — can be most eflBcieutly 

 attain eil. 



Natural science falls into two great divisions, the biological and the 

 physical, and since it has been the case that of late years the first of 

 these has been almost exclusively encouraged by the Smithsonian, it 

 was the desire of the late Secretary, Professor Baird, to do something 

 to restore the balance, and with this end in view he had made prepara- 

 tions to secure an astro physical observatory and laboratory, and though 

 these preparations were interrupted by his death it is understood that 

 through his action some friends of the Institution have already offered 

 to give the means for the erection of the modest structure needed for 

 the accommodation of such a special observatory. The site would nec- 

 essarily be suburban, on account of the especial need of seclusion and 

 the absence of tremor in the soil, such as is felt in the neighborhood of 

 the streets of a city. 



No steps have yet been taken to secure a site, but in view of the 

 promise of means for the building, and the fact that the construction of 

 the necessary apparatus will occupy a long time, I have ordered such 

 of the essential pieces as are not likely to be ready, even under these 

 conditions, till the building is prepared to receive it. With the excep- 

 tion of this preparation there has been nothing done for the increase 

 of knowledge in the physical branches of science in the past year, but 

 it may be remarked that the Institution is in i)ossession of a certain 

 amount of philosophical apparatus. Tliis is formed of the debris of its 

 first collection (nearly destroyed by the fire) and of a certain few pieces 

 purchased by Professor Henry in the later years of his life. 



There are also a number of historical relics, as the philosophical 

 instruments used by Dr. Joseph Priestly and others. These were on 

 exhibition in the new Museum Building, but the room they occupied 

 being wanted for other purposes the collection was transferred to the 

 Smithsonian Building where they were placed in an apartment adjoining 

 the laboratory. Arrangements are now being made for a more suit- 

 able depository and for the exhibition to the public of such articles of 

 tliis class as may be of general interest. 



The Institution has contiiuied to give an important impulse to the 



