REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 13 



hundreds of thousands of dollars, are stacked up in frame and cheaply 

 constructed brick ])uildings. liable at any time to destruction l)y tire. 

 There is no place where this material, composino- fully one-half of the 

 Museum's possessions, can be unpacked and spread out for study or 

 reference, while the portion suitable for exhibition would alone more 

 than till another structure as large as the present Museum building. 



For the existence of this condition neither the National Museum nor 

 the Smithsonian Institution can be held responsible. The Institution 

 was made the custodian of all collections belonging to the Government 

 in the Congressional act providing for and thus preceding its organi- 

 zation. It has fultilled the oldigation conscientiously and in accord- 

 ance with the spirit of the law, even when its own funds have had to 

 be drawn upon. It has shown that the trust was not misplaced, and 

 in the face of obstacles which have at times seemed insurmountable 

 has given its museum feature a standing not excelled in any country 

 in the world, though in accommodations and display its position is 

 decidedly inferior to many. 



A national museum is not of the nature of a project which may 

 await the pleasure of summary action. Its material accumidates with 

 the exploration and development of the country — in the case of the 

 United States mainl}' through (Congressional direction — and if the 

 material collected by this lueans be destroyed or otherwise disposed 

 of, the most of it can only be replaced, if at all, at greatly increased 

 cost. For man}' 3'ears this country has been supporting extensive 

 investigations under authority of Congress. Prominent among the 

 bureaus whose work requires the collecting of specimens and their 

 transfer to Washington for purposes of study are the Geological Sur- 

 rey, the Fish Commission, the Biological Survey and the divisions of 

 Entomology and Botany of the Department of Agriculture, and the 

 Bureau of American Ethnology. A large amount of material has 

 reached Washington in the past, and will certainly continue to do so, 

 from other Government sources, such as Army and Navy expeditions, 

 representatives abroad of the Department of State, the Revenue- 

 Marine Service, and the Coast and Geodetic Survey. These bureaus 

 depend by law upon the National Museum for the care of their collec- 

 tions. Having for the most part Aery inadequate accommodations in 

 their own buildings, much of their material is turned over as soon as 

 received in Washington, and thus the Museum is called upon, very 

 appropriately, to make greater provision for the handling and storing 

 of specimens than is generally supposed. This unworked material has, 

 in one sense, even greater value than that which has been determined 

 and described, as its study is expected to develop facts 3'et undis- 

 covered, and the responsibility for its safe-keeping is increased 

 accordingly. 



The demand for additional space and for new cases, always inct ssant, 



