REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 47 



antiquities of Central Aiueiit^a ; ami to Paymaster William A. Tliomsou, 

 U. S. Navy, for the prepiiratiou of a report on the antiquities of Easter 

 Island, Pacilie Oeoau. 



Toner Lecture Fund. — The Secretary of the Institution is exofficio 

 chairman of the board of trustees. No lectures have been delivered 

 for several years. The fund renuiins as originally invested, increased 

 annually by the unexpended income. It consists partly in real estate 

 in Washington, and partly in Government bonds, the estimated value 

 of which is about $3,000. 



American Historical Association. — A bill was introduced in the Senate 

 by Hon. G. F. Hoar on the 21st of May, 1S8S, and in the House on the 

 4th of June by Ron. James Phelau, to incorporate the "American His- 

 torical Association," and as the bill pro[)oses an intimate connection 

 between the association and the Smithsonian Institution it is here given 

 in full: 



[A BILL to iucorponito tlio American Historical Association. ] 



Be it enacted hi/ the Semite and Ilouse of Eeprescntatives of the United 

 States of America in Congress assembled, That Andrew D. White, of 

 Ithaca, in the State of New York; George Bancroft, of Washington, in 

 the District of Oolumbni; Justin Wiu'-or, of Cambridge, in the State of 

 Massachusetts; ^^^illiam F. Poole, of Chicago, in the State of Illinois; 

 Herbert P. Adams, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland ; Clarence W. 

 Bowen, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, their associates and suc- 

 cessors, are hereby created a body cor[K)rate and politic, by the name of 

 the Americrai Historical Association, for the promotion of historical 

 st'idies, the collection and preservation of historical manuscripts, and 

 for kiiulred purposes in the interest of American history and of history 

 in America. Said association is authorized to hold real ami personal 

 estate to an amount not exceeding live hundred thousand dollars, to 

 adopt a constitution, and to make by-laws. Said association shall have 

 its heachpiarters at Washington, in the District of Columbia, and shall 

 hold its animal meetings in such i)laces as the said incorporators shall 

 determiiu,'. Said association shall rei)Oit annually to the Secretary of 

 the Smithsonian Institution concerning its proceedings and the condi- 

 tion of liistorical study in America. Said Secretary shall communicate 

 to Congress the whole of .'-nch reports, or such i)ortion thereof as he 

 shall see fit. The Regents of the Smithsonian Institution are authorized 

 to [)ermit said association tode|)osit its collections, manuscripts, books, 

 l)ami)hlets, and 6ther material for history in the Smithsonian Institution 

 or in the National Museum, at their discretion, upon such conditions 

 and under such rules as they shall prescribe. 



Eighth centenary of the University of Bologna. — In accordance with the 

 request of Prof. J. Capellini, rector of the University of Bologna, the 

 Smithsonian Institution appointed two representatives to be present at 

 the eiglilli cciitenary of the university, which occnri-ed on the IL'th of 

 June, 188S. Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, of Pliiladelphia, and Dr. C. CUrdiui, 



