IlE3?»ORT 



UPON 



THE CONDITION AND PROGRESS OF THE U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM 

 DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1899. 



Richard Rathbun, 



Assistant Secretary of the Smiihsonian Institution. 



GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 



Mr. Charles D. Walcott, who, following upon the death of Doctor 

 Goodo, had agreed to add to his duties as Director of the Geological 

 Survey those of Acting Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution in charge of the National Museum, felt obliged to relinquish 

 the latter position with the year ending June 30, 1898. During his 

 incumbency there was a modification in the administration of the 

 Museum, which consisted in gathering the different departments under 

 three heads and placing three scientific men in charge of them as head 

 curators. One, the Head Curator of Biology, Dr. F. W. True, by virtue 

 of his appointment as Executive Curator, took charge of the executive 

 office inmiediately following the retirement of Mr. Walcott, and admin- 

 istered it with zeal and fidelity. The Secretary, who is by law Keeper 

 of the Museum, has always retained the direction of its poHcy and 

 attended personally to many of the important acts connected with its 

 administration. His numerous and exacting duties made him feel the 

 necessity of further aid in this direction, and in accordance with a reso- 

 lution of the Board of Regents removing the restrictions placed upon 

 the appointment of the writer as Assistant Secretary, in 1897, the latter 

 has given a certain oversight to the affairs of the Museum, without, 

 however, being able to spare sufficient time to supervise all of its 

 details. 



The Secretary in his own report has expressed his appreciation of 

 the value and efficiency of the services rendered by IVh'. Walcott to the 

 Museum during the year and a half in which he was connected with 

 it in an administrative capacity. It should be added that the Museum 

 stiH has the benefit of Mr. Walcott's services as Honorary Curator of 

 the Division of Stratigraphic Paleontology, and, beyond this, that his 

 advice and his valuable aid have been given to the Museum on many 

 occasions since his official administrative connection with it ceased. 



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