88 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. 



Washington, ILarch 9, 1871. 



A meeting of the Board of Regents was held this evening at 7 o'clock. 

 Present : Hon. H. Hamlin, Hon. L. P. Poland, Hon. S. S. Cox, Hon. P. 

 Parker, General W. T. Sherman, and the Secretary, Professor Henry. 



Judge Poland was called to the chair. 



The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. 



The Secretary stated that by joint resolution of Congress, Genera 

 William T. Sherman had beeu elected a Eegent for the term of six 

 years, vice Richard Delafield, resigned. 



On motion of Mr. Hamlin, the vacancy existing in the executive com- 

 mittee was filled by the election of General Sherman. 



The Secretary called attention to the fact that the mayor of the city 

 of Washington was ex officio a Regent, but that under the new territo- 

 rial government the office of mayor ceased, and suggested the propriety 

 of action by Congress to substitute the governor of the Territory as 

 the ex officio member of the board. 



Messrs. Hamlin and Poland expressed their intention to bring the sub- 

 ject before Congress immediately, and anticipated no objection to the 

 l)assage of an act providing for the change contemplated. 



The Secretary gave an account of the improvements now being made 

 in the building under the appropriation by Congress. The new hall 

 would soon be finished, and it was proposed to devote it mainly to eth- 

 nology. Mr. B. Waterhouse Hawkins had been empl(>yed to prepare 

 illustrations of extinct animals, &c., to decorate the wails. 



The Secretary called attention to the books belonging to James Smitli- 

 son, the founder of the Institution, and requested some action in rela- 

 tion to the best manner of their preservation. It was thought proper 

 to preserve them in a metallic case with plate-glass front, open to the 

 view of the public, but not to l)e taken out by any one. 



The Secretary presented his annual report for 1870, which was read 

 and accepted. 



The board then adjourned sine die. 



