REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 39 



]^oral Ob.s€rvatory. — The Institntioii isindebtod to the courtesy of the 

 Superinteiideut ol the United States is aval Observatory for iucluding 

 its building and that of the National Museum in the series of public 

 establishments which receive telegraphic time at noon on each succes- 

 sive day, and a clock, fitted up under the direction of the Observatory, 

 with au arrangement by which the observatory itself corrects any aber* 

 ration in time, has been supplied, and although the money expense has 

 been borne by the Institution, yet no charge has been made for the time 

 service. 



War Department. — The Signal Service has continued during the year 

 that co-operation which has heretofore been found very serviceable, 

 especially through its agencies in Labrador and Alaska. More par- 

 ticular reference will be made to this subject in the chapter on Explora- 

 tions, but it maj^ be well here to particularize the work of Mr. Lucien 

 M. Turner at Fort Chimo, Ungava Bay, Northern Labrador ; of Messrs. 

 Murdoch and Smith, at Point Barrow; Dr. Stejneger, at the Commander 

 Islands, &g. 



By the kindness of the Signal OfiBce, Mr. John J. McLean, who has 

 rendered' very much aid to the institution in its w^ork while resident in 

 Alaska, was again ordered to that country by the chief signal officer. 

 The lamented death, by drowning, of Mr. C. L. McKay, in the vicinity 

 of Nushagak, Bristol Bay, was mentioned in the jjreceding report. The 

 vacancy thus eftected was filled by the Signal Office by the appoint- 

 ment of Mr. J. W. Johnson, of East Eockport, Ohio. This gentlemaa 

 is a naturalist of considerable experience, and will continue Mr. McKay's 

 work of securing such specimens of natural history as he can find time 

 to i^repare in the intervals of his regular official work for the Signal 

 Service. 



By the courtesy of Colonel Eockwell, Superintendent of Public Build- 

 ings and Grounds, the Institution was enabled to make connection with 

 the underground telephone laid by his authority through the public 

 grounds by the Waring Company. A special advantage in this was 

 the opportunity of making a more satisfactory connectiou between the 

 National Museum building and the United States carp ponds, a service 

 that previously had. been much interrui)ted. Connection was also made 

 through the same trench with the Fire-Alarm Telegraph Company, and 

 the necessary permission to oi)en North B street was promptly granted 

 by the District Commissioners. 



Treasury Department. — The Director of the Mint, at the request of 

 the Institution, has furnished for display in the National Museum two 

 sets, in bronze, of all the meda-ls struck at '^the United States mints. 

 These are of great historical value, and wnen properly installed will 

 doubtless be very attractive to the public. 



Lif/htHonse Board. — The usual courtesies of the Light House Board 

 have been extended in the way of co-cperation in obtaining data by 

 which to determine the temperatures of the watt rs of the Atlantic 



