JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 85 



SO far as relates to co-operation of the Suiithsoniaii Institution in obtain- 

 ing for the Corcoran Art Gallery contributions from abroad when re- 

 quested by the directors and at the expense of the corporation. 



The Secretary announced the death of Professor James H. Coffin, who 

 had for many years been associated with the Institution in its meteor- 

 ological work, and had nearly finished a verj^ elaborate paper on the 

 Avinds of the globe, prepared from material furnished by the Institution, 

 and to be published as a Smithsonian Contribution to Knowledge. He 

 spoke in the highest terms of the character of Professor Coflfln as a scien- 

 tific investigator, an able 'eacher, and exemplary Christian. 



On motion of Hon. Mr. Trumbull, the following resolutions were 

 adopted : 



Resolved, That the Boaixl of Eegents have heard with profound sor- 

 row of the death of Professor James H. Coffin, of Lafayette College, 

 Easton, Pennsylvania. 



Resolved, That in the death of Professor Coffin the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution has lost a valuable collaborator who has assiduously labored in 

 connection with it in the cause of science for more than twenty years; 

 the country has lost an efficient teacher, an honest, truthful, and indus- 

 trious man, and the world an original contributor to the science of the 

 day. 



RcsolvM, That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the fam- 

 ily of the deceased. 



The Secretary stated that since the last meeting he had received a 

 telegram from Dr. C. H. Peters, of Clinton, New York, announcing the 

 discovery of a new planet, and that he had availed himself of the facili- 

 ties offered by the Cable and Western Union Companies, and had sent a 

 dispatch in regard to the discovery to the European observatories. 



The Secretary informed the Board that James Hamilton, of Carlisle, 

 Pennsylvania, recently deceased, had left a legacy of one thousand 

 dollars to the Board of Eegents of the Smithsonian Institution, the 

 interest to be "ai)propriftted biennially, either in money or a medal, for 

 such contribution, paper, or lecture on any scientific or useful subject as 

 the secretaries may approve." Action on this subject was postponed 

 until more definite information had been receive<l.* 



The Secretary stated that an amendment had been offered in the 

 House of Representatives, but not at the instance of the Institution, 

 to Senate bill 693, "to provide for the further endowment and support 

 of colleges for the benefit of agriculture, &c., &c.," as follows: 



"And it is further provided, that the share allotted to the said District 

 of Columbia shall be appropriated to the Smithsonian Institution, to 

 be expended under the direction of the Boanl of Regents of said Insti- 

 tution, for the support of the National Museum, and in distributing 

 specimens and publications to the colleges named in this act and to 

 other institutions." 



* See Will iu Appeuil ix " E " to Joiuual of Board. 



