[ 120 ] 52 



addition to the principal sura of the Smithsonian bequest, augmenting 

 the principal sum to that amount; and that application be made to Con- 

 gress 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. 



On motion of Mr. Pearce, 



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 . 



Th.e Secretary next brought forward the subject of the contract for the 

 building. The letter of J. M, Carlisle, esq., the counsel employed to 

 give an opinion of it, was read. 



On motion of General Totten, it was 



Resolved, That the committee on the buildinar be authorized to negoti- 

 ate a compronuse with the contractor relative to the defective work and 

 materials in the Smithsonian building, and also with regard to a modifi- 

 cation of the contract, subject to the approval of the Board of Regents at 

 their next meeting. 



The Secretary laid before the board a volume of magnetical and mete- 

 orological observations, made at Toronto, Canada, and presented to the 

 institution by the British government. The board being informed that 

 the duration of the Toronto Observatory is limited by law, on motion of 

 Mr. Seaton, it was 



Resolved, That the Chancellor and Secretary be requested to acknowl- 

 edge the recei])t of the volume, with the expre?sion of the hope of this 

 board that Her Majesty's government may find it expedient to continue 

 an institution of snch utility to science. 



On motion, the" board adjourned, to meet at the call of the Secretary. 



July 3, 1850. 



The board met this day, at the call of the Secretarj^, in the Smithsonian 

 building, at 9 a. m. 



Present: Messrs. Fillmore, Colcock, T3avis, Fitch, Hilliard, Mason, 

 and Pearce. 



The Chancellor took the chair. 



Mr. Lenox, elected mayor of Washington, and ex-ofhcio Regent of 

 the Smithsonian Institution, appeared and took his seat. 



The journal of proceedings of the last meeting was read and approved. 



The Secretary presented the final report of the committee charged with 

 the examination of the building, which was read as follows: 



Final report of the Commiitce of tlie Regents charged icith the caramin- 



atioti of the building. 



Under the resolutions of March 2 and of April 20, 18.50, offered by Mr. 

 Fitch, and also the resolution of June 1, 1850, offered by General Totten, 

 the committee charged with examinations relative to the building submit 

 the following report: 



In accordance with the first resolution of Mr. Fitch, the committee as- 

 sociated with themselves three disinterested architects, viz: Col. Wil- 



