REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



EXPENDITURES. 



Building, furniture, and fixtures $3, 716. 31 



General expenses, salaries, etc 26, 563. 99 



Publications and explorations 10, 848. 24 



Literary and scientitic exchanges 4, 683. 11 



Total expenditure $45, 811. 65 



Balance cash on hand 1, 423. 14 



The vouchers and account-books have been examined quarterly by 

 the Executive Committee, who report them all correct, and that the 

 Smithson fund and balance stated above are in the Treasury of the 

 United States. A more detailed account of the expenditures of the 

 Institution is given in the report of the Executive Committee. 



ASSISTANT SECRETARIES. 



Having consulted with Prof. Samuel P. Langley, director of the 

 Allegheny Observatory, Pennsylvania, with a view of securing his 

 services as Assistant Secretary of the Institution, without asking from 

 him the abandonment of his great scientific researches or a withdrawal 

 from his observatory-, I ascertained that he was willing to devote a con- 

 siderable portion of his time to the object mentioned. 



Accordingly, at the last annual meeting of the Regents, after repre- 

 senting to them the onerous nature of the duties of the Secretary, from 

 their increasing range and importance, I requested permission to ap- 

 point two assistant secretaries, which appointment would be in a cer- 

 tain sense a return to the organization of the Institution in 1850, when 

 Mr. Charles C. Jewett was assistant in charge of the library, and my- 

 self assistant in charge of the museum collections, and later of the ex- 

 changes as well. I therefore asked leave to nominate Prof. Samuel 

 P. Langley Assistant Secretary in charge of the exchanges, publications, 

 and library, and Mr. G. Brown Goode Assistant Secretary in charge of 

 the National Museum. These nominations were unanimously confirmed 

 by the Board; and the two gentlemen named were, on the 12th day 

 of January, 1887, appointed Assistant Secretaries of the SoiithsoriiaQ 

 Institution. 



Subsequently, in consequence of my enforced absence from the In- 

 stitution by reason of sickness. Professor Langley was appointed by 

 the Chancellor, February 10, 1887, Acting Secretary, under the provis- 

 ions of the act of Congress of May 13, 1884, and this position he contin- 

 ues to occupy at the date of the present report. 



PORTRAIT OF SMITHSON. 



A water-color portrait of James Sinitlison, in the possession of Mr. 

 James Giuin, of -40 Bedford street, Strand, London, Iniving been offered 

 to the Institution for 306., our agent, Mr. Wesley, of London, was au- 



