REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



35 



No tlcpartmciit of the Museum is perhaps more at a disadvantage from 

 the limited si^ace which it occupies than this, lu the recent exhibition 

 at London, the American section alone occupied nearly three times the 

 space which is here occupied by fishery exhibits from all parts of the 

 world. Many important things cannot be displayed, others of interest 

 are suspended from the wall at so great a height that they are seen by 

 but few, and cannot be examined by those M'ho know of their existence, 

 while it is impossible to group together by countries, properly, series of 

 specimens which would be much improved by this kind of installation. 

 Furthermore, the cases are so closely massed that the availability of the 

 collection is interfered with. The section of fish-culture is almost en- 

 tirely crowded out, many of the most important objects having been sent 

 elsewhere ibr storage. The fisheries collection has been for the past two 

 years under the curatorship of E. Edward Earll, who also has in hand 

 the collection of animal products, which, since the return of the collec- 

 tions from the New Orleans Exhibition, has been installed in a very 

 eflective manner in one of the large central halls. This collection, which 

 was begun in connection with the Philadelphia Exhibition and greatly 

 extended for that of New Orleans, is of great popular interest^ as well 

 as of considerable economic importance. The 1,597 specimens now on 

 exhibition illustrate the applications of all products derived from the 

 animal kingdom in the arts and industries. Not more than half the ma- 

 terial available for the purpose is now displayed to the public, though 

 this collection like that of fisheries is one which, derives much of its 

 value from having each class represented by a large number of speci- 

 mens, since every additional well selected object adds to the interest 

 of the objects exhibited. The total number of specimens is 2,793. 



The collection of historic relics includes objects of national interest 

 relating to the history of soldiers, statesmen, and important events, and 

 includes several hundred objects. This collection has been increased 

 during the year by the addition of many manuscript pai^ers, including 

 letters, military orders, and other ofQcial i^apers, pertaining to the co- 

 lonial Government and to the periods of the Eevolutionary and later 

 wars. The most prominent exhibit is that of the Washington relics, 

 transferred to the Museum in 1883 by the Commissioner of Patents, 

 and consisting of several hundred objects, including many articles of 

 household use, that belonged to Washington, besides his tents and 

 camp equipage, used by him during the Eevolutionary war. There are 

 also many relics of other soldiers and naval oflicers, presented to them 

 by foreign Governments. Among these may be mentioned swords and 

 guns presented to President Jefferson, Commodore Perry, General Eip- 

 ley. General Grant, and others. There are also memorials of many of 

 the Arctic expeditions sent out by the United States and English Gov- 

 ernments during the last forty years, including relics of Sir John Frank- 

 lin, McClintock, Kane, Hall, and De Long's expeditions. There have 

 been added during the year a number of relics of the Southern Confed- 



