28 AXXTJAL REPORT SMTTHSOXIAN INSTITUTION, 1964 



Tobe, Colo. (5.4 kg.) ; and Mosca, Colo. (6.1). Outstanding among 

 the donations was a specimen of tlie widely publicized Bogou iron 

 presented by President ]\Iaurice Yameogo of the Eepublic of Upper 

 Volta. 



Science and technology. — In the division of physical sciences an 

 outstanding accession was the gift from Vassar College of the large 

 telescope built in 1863 by Henry Fitz, one of America's famous 

 telescope makers, and used by Maria Mitchell at Vassar. Preston Bas- 

 sett gave an 8-sided revolving mirror used by Albert ]Michelson in his 

 famous determination of the velocity of light in 192-i. A Collins 

 helium ciyostat, from Loyola University of Xew Orleans and Arthur 

 D. Little, Lie, and an earlier Collins cryogenic expansion machine, 

 from Samuel C. Collins, are basic artifacts in the recent development 

 of commercially available low-temperature apparatus. 



In the section of chemistry, outstanding accessions relating to the 

 element fluorine were a replica of the platinum apparatus for electroly- 

 sis and distillation used by Henry ^Moissan in his epochal isolation of 

 fluorme (1886), and a commercial fluorme cell made by the Harshaw 

 Chemical Co., in 1942—43, and given the Museum by the company. The 

 Moissan apparatus was fabricated through the courtesy of the Baker 

 Platinum Division of Engelhard Industries, Inc. 



The collection of adding and calculating machines in the section of 

 mathematics was notably enriched by the gift of 76 specimens from the 

 Victor Comptometer Corp. The gift includes several famous his- 

 torical machines, such as the Schilt adding machine of 1851, the oldest 

 European key-driven machine; a Bollee direct -multiplication machine, 

 one of only three such machines made by Louis Bollee between 1888 

 and 1892 ; and the famous Scheutz ditference engine of 1853, the first 

 complete ditference engine ever built. A replica of Charles Babbage's 

 difference engine was donated by the International Business Machines 

 Corp. 



Among the most outstanding accessions in the section of light 

 machinery and horology was a pocket watch made by Henry and James 

 F. Pitkin of East Hartford, Comi,, in about 1838. This specimen is 

 an example of the first American attempt at watclimaking by machines. 

 Other significant acquisitions by this section were a splendid example 

 of a French skeleton clock of the late 18th centuiy and a combination 

 lock patented in 1841 by Dr. Solomon Andrews, an American inventor. 



The section of tools acquired the J. R. Brown Linear Dividing 

 Machine of 1859 from the Brown & Sharpe Co., which was a milestone 

 in the history of measurement in American manufacturing. A fully 

 operative reproduction of the gun-stocking lathe developed by Thomas 

 Blanchard in 1820-22 was also received. This pioneer machine, the 

 original of which is in the Springfield Armory in Springfield, Mass., 



