142 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 



General Sherman, from tlie Executive Committee, presented a report 

 on the subject of an allowance for house-rent to the Secretary, with the 

 following preamble and resolution : 



Whereas the east wing of the Smithsonian building, heretofore used 

 as a residence by Professor Henry, is required for the purposes of the 

 Institution; and whereas the present Secretary owns and occuijies a 

 separate residence in the city of Washington, for which it is but just 

 and proper that he should be allowed compensation : Therefore, 



Resolved., That the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Pro£ S. 

 r. Baird, be allowed the sum of one hundred dollars per month for rent, 

 fuel, gas, &c., from the date of his election as Secretary, May 17, 1878, 

 to the 31st of December, 1879. 



The Secretary presented his annual report, which was read, and it was 



Resolved^ That the annual report of the Secretary be approved and 

 transmitted to Congress. 



Dr.. Parker suggested that there was a matter of some imi^ortance 

 which ought to receive attention at this jneeting. The Senate had 

 jmssed on the 9th of January the following bill 



For the erection of a fire-proof buildiug for the National IMuseum. 



^^ Be it enacted hy iJie Senate and House of Bepreseiitatives of the United 

 States of America in Congress asseinhlcd, That for a fire-proof building 

 for the use of a National Museum, three hundred feet square, to be 

 erected under the direction and supervision of the Eegents of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, in accordance with the plans now on file with the 

 Joint Committee of Public Buildings and Grounds, on the southeast 

 corner of the grounds of the Smithsonian Institution, the sum of two 

 hundred and fifty thousand dollars is hereby approi^riated out "of any 

 money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated ; said building to be 

 placed east of the Smithsonian Institution, leaving a roadway between 

 it and the latter of not less than fifty feet, with its north front on a line 

 with the south face of the buildings of the Agricultural Department 

 and of the Smithsonian Institution ; and all expenditures for the pur- 

 X)Oses herein mentioned, not including anything for architectural plans, 

 shall be audited by the proper officers of the Treasury Department." 



If this should pass the House and become a law it would be necessary 

 for the Board of Eegents to take action in regard to the new building. 



On motion of Mr. Clymer, it was 



Resolved, That the Executive Committee of this Board, and the Sec- 

 retary, or a majority thereof, be, and they are hereby, authorized and 

 empowered to act for and in the name of the Board of Eegents in car- 

 rying into effect the provisions of any act of Congress which may. be 

 passed providing for the erection of a building for the National Museum. 



The Board then adjourned sine die. 



