REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 43 



to chemists aud others interested in the subject. A copy of this circu- 

 lar is appended to this report. 



Electrical Exhibition at Philadelphia. — An " International Electrical 

 Exhibition," under the direction of the Franklin Institute of the State 

 of Pennsylvania, was held at Philadelphia from September 2 to Octo- 

 ber 11, 1884. Although the activities of the Institution have not for 

 many years past been directed to the extension of our knowledge in 

 the field of electrical science, nor any recent memoirs on the subject 

 published under its auspices, yet, as exi)ressive of the interest felt in 

 the proposed movement, an exhibit was prepared and forwarded to the 

 directors before the opening of the exhibition. This exhibit comprised 

 two quarto volumes of original memoirs relating to electricity and 

 magnetism, collected from the Smithsonian Contributions to Knowl- 

 edge (averaging about 500 j)ages each), with specially-prepared title- 

 pages, and neatly bound ; and also three octavo volumes on the same 

 subject, collected from the miscellaneous papers published at various 

 times in the annual Reports of the Institution, in like manner supplied 

 with appropriate title-pages, and neatly bound in a uniform style. 

 These five volumes were presented to the Franklin Institute as a per- 

 manent contribution to its memorial electrical library. ^ framed por 

 trait of Professor Henry, of life size, in crayon, by Mr. H. Ulke, was 

 also forwarded for exhibition, with a framed legend attached, briefly 

 stating the more important contributions of the late Secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution to the scientific and practical applications of 

 electricity. 



In addition to these, the original telegraphic instrument constructed 

 for Professor Morse by Mr. Alfred Vail, and operated by them in the 

 first experimental communication by electro- magnetism between Balti- 

 more and Washington (May 24, 1844) — on deposit in the ISTational Mu- 

 seum — was loaned to the Exhibition, by jiermission of Mr. Stephen 

 Vail, the owner and depositor of the instrument, and placed in its hall 

 of historical relics and memorials. 



For the purpose of having the interest of the Smithsonian Institution 

 represented, Mr. William B. Taylor was commissioned to attend the 

 Electrical Exhibition to see after the exhibits of the Institution, aud to 

 make such general examination of the extent, character, and details of 

 display as might prove instructive or useful. Mr. Taylor remained at 

 Philadelphia on this service one week, the cost to the Institution being 

 only his traveling expenses. 



State and International Exhihitions. — The time and attention of the 

 ofiflcers of the Smithsonian Institution have been occupied for a number 

 of years past in the preparation of displays for exhibitions, national and 

 State. Kotably among them may be mentioned, the International Ex- 

 hibition at Philadelphia in 187G, the Berlin Fisheries Exhibition in 1880, 

 the Louisvillle Exhibition in 1883, the London Fisheries Exhibition in 

 the same year, and, in 1884, the exhibitions at Louisville and Cincin- 



