THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 187 



incorporating the Institution, while it did not forbid the expenditure of 

 a part of the income for other objects, authorized the formation of a 

 Library, a Museum and a Gallery of Art, and the erection of a build- 

 ing, on a liberal scale, for their accommodation. It was, indeed, the 

 opinion of many that the whole income ought to be expended on these 

 objects. The Regents did not consider themselves at liberty to disre- 

 gard the indications of Congress, and the opinion expressed in favor of 

 collections; and after much discussion it was finally concluded to divide 

 the income into two equal parts, and, after deducting the general ex- 

 penses, to devote one half to the active operations set Ibrth in the plan 

 just described ; and the other, to the formation of a Library, a Museum 

 and a Gallery of Art. 



It was evident, however, that the small income of the original be- 

 quest, though in itself sufficient to do much good in the way of active 

 operation, was inadequate to carry out this more extended plan — to 

 maintain the staff of attendants, and to defray other contingent expenses 

 incidental to a large estabhshment of this kind. Besides the Secretary 

 and an assistant to attend to the general operations, two principal as- 

 sistants would be required, one to take charge of the Library and the 

 other of the Museum of Natural History ; and to these suHicient sala- 

 ries must be given, to secure the services of men of the first reputation 

 and talents in their respective lines. It, therefore, became absolutely 

 necessary that the income should be increased ; and in order to do this, 

 it was proposed to save the greater part of the $242,000 of accrued 

 interest which Congress had authorized to be expended in a building, 

 by erecting, at a cost not to exceed $50,000, the nucleus of an edifice, 

 which could be expanded as the wants of the Institution might require, 

 and to add the remainder to the principal. 



Unfortunately, however, for this proposition. Congress had presented 

 to the Institution the great museum of the Exploring Expedition ; and 

 a majority of the Regents, supposing it necessary to make immediate 

 provision for the accommodation of this gift, had taken preliminary 

 steps, previous to my appointment, to construct a large building, and 

 indeed a majority of the committee, to which the matter was referred, 

 had determined to adopt the plan of the present edifice. Strenuous 

 opposition was, however, made to this; and as a compromise, it was 

 finally agreed to draw fi'om the United States treasury $250,000 of 

 accrued interest, and instead of expending this immediately in complet- 

 ing the plan of the proposed building, to invest it in treasury notes, then 

 at par, and to finish the building in the course of five years, in part out 

 of the interest of these notes, in part out of the sale of a portion of 

 them, and also in part out of a portion of the annual interest accruing 

 on the original bequest. It was estimated that in this way, at the end 

 of five years, besides devoting $250,000 to the building, the annual 

 income of the Institution would be increased from $30,000 to nearly 

 $40,000, a sum sufficient to carry out all the provisions of the pro- 

 gramme. 



After the resolutions relative to the division of the income, between 

 collections on the one hand and active operations on the other, had been 

 adopted, and the plan of finance as to the building had been settled, I 

 was requested to confer with persons of literary and scientific reputa- 



