[ 1 ] 68 



Hawley, Hilliard, Lenox, Mason, Pearce, Rush, Totten, and Mr. Seaton, 

 Treasurer of the Institution. 



The Chancellor, on taking the Chair, expressed his thanks for ths honor 

 conferred on him by his election ; his regret that on account of the meetings 

 of the Supreme Court, he had not previously been able to attend the ses- 

 sions of the Board, though he hoped in future to be able to do so ; also the 

 interest he felt in the Institution, and his gratification with reference to its 

 present condition. 



The proceedings of the last meeting were then read. 



The Building Committee presented their Annual Report, including a 

 report from the Architect. It was on motion accepted, and ordered to 

 form a part of the Regents' report to Congress. 



In connection with the report of the Building committee, Mr. Lenox 

 made a statement relative to a proposition for the erection of a foot bridge 

 over the canal at Ninth or Tenth street, at the expense of the corpora- 

 tion of the City of Washington, for facilitating the approach to the Insti- 

 tution. He also stated that Mr. Ellet, the Engineer, had offered to 

 superintend, free of charge, the erection of a wire bridge at the place men- 

 tioned, and expressed his belief that a bridge could be constructed during 

 the present year. 



Mr. Seaton the Treasurer, presented a report of the monies placed to his 

 credit on account of the Institution, and the manner in which they had 

 l)een expended. At the request of Mr. Seaton, and on motion of Mr. Davis, 

 the report was referred to the Executive Committee for examination. 



The reading of the Secretary's report was then proceeded with, including 

 a statement relative to the Foreign distribution of the first volume of Smith- 

 sonian Contributions, and the method of keeping the account of the ex- 

 changes with foreign societies, also an account of the progress made in the 

 operations relative to Meteorology. 



Specimens of the Barometers, Thermometers, Rain guages and Wind 

 vanes prepared for the Smithsonian observers, were exhibited to the Board. 



The Board, on motion, then adjourned to meet on Saturday next, 18th 

 instant, at 10 o'clock A. M. 



Saturday, January 18, 1851. 



The Board of Regent met this day at 10 o'clock, A. M. 



Present : Messrs. Bache, Colcock, Davis, Hilliard, Pearce, and Rush. 

 The Chancellor being absent, Mr. Pearce was called to the Chair. 



The proceedings of the last meeting were read. 



Mr. Bache, on behalf of the Executive Committee, presented a detailed 

 statement of all the expenditures from the beginning of the Institution to 

 the end of the year 1850, classified according to the programme of accounts 

 before given. 



The Secretary stated, that in obedience to the instructions contained in 

 the resolutions of the Board adopted June 1, 1850, the following petition 

 relative to funding f>150,000 of accrued interest had been drawn up for 

 presentation to Congress ; but owing to the press of business of last session, 

 and by the advice of the members of the Board belonging to the Senate and 

 House of Representatives, it had not been presented up to the present time. 



Mr. Davis suggested that the petition be amended by inserting the words 



