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70 



RESOLUTIONS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS 



Of the Smithsojiian Institution, adopted at their meeting of June 1, 1850, 

 and appended to the foregoing petition. 



Resolved, That it is expedient to enlarge the permanent fund of the Insti- 

 tution, by the investment of such sums not exceeding ^200,000 as may 

 have been, or shall be received for accrued interest or otherwise, in addition 

 to the principal sum of the Smithsonian bequest, augmenting the principal 

 sum to that amount, and that application be made to Congress to receive 

 such sums not exceeding $200,000 as may have been or shall be received 

 for accrued interest or otherwise into the United States Treasury upon the 

 same terms on which the original bequest has been received. 



Resolved, That the Secretary be requested to communicate a copy of 

 this resolution to Congress, and to request that provision be made by law 

 in accordance therewith. 



The Secretary also brought before the Board, the subject of the remain- 

 der of the Smithsonian bequest, left as the principal of an annuity payable 

 to Madame de la Batut, mother of the nephew of James Smithson. 



Mr. Rush gave an account of this annuity and stated that he had left the 

 business in the hands of attornies, to whom he had written in 1846. A copy 

 of this correspondence was read, and Mr. Rush was requested to commu- 

 nicate with the above mentioned persons relative to this business. 



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

 Professor Jewett's report on the Library, illustrated by specimens of a new 

 plan of stereotyping catalogues of libraries by separate titles. 



On motion the Board adjourned to meet on Saturday 25th instant at 10 

 o'clock A. M. 



Saturday, January 25, 1851. 



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



Present : Messrs. Davis, Fitch, Lenox, Mason, Pearce, and Taney. 



The Chancellor occupied the Chair. 



The proceedings of the last meeting were read. 



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

 report of Professor Baird on the Museum. 

 On motion of Mr. Davis, it was 



Resolved, That the thanks of the Board be presented to Mr. Alexander 

 Culbertson for the liberal aid rendered by him in procuring specimens of 

 Natural History for the Institution ; also, to Messrs. Edward T. Denig, 

 Ferdinand Culbertson, and the other gentlemen of the American Fur com- 

 pany mentioned in Professor Baird's report for similar services. 



The concluding portion of the Secretary's report was then read, giving 

 an account of the Lectures which had been delivered, and other miscellane- 

 ous operations. The Secretary then gave an account of some experiments 

 made with the Smithsonian apparatus by Mr. Espy during the past year, 

 and the connection which has existed between this gentleman and the In- 

 stitution. An appropriation has been made for several years past by Con- 

 gress for Meteorology, out of which Mr. Espy has been paid. The 

 appropriation was under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy w^ho, 

 in 1848, directed Mr. Espy to co-operate in his labors with the Smithso- 

 nian Institution. 



Mr. Lenox presented a communication from Mr. Seaton recommending 



