12 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



Ill the act of Cougress passed in 184G, to establisli the Smithsonian 

 Institution, are contained tlic following- provisions concerning the scope 

 of the museum to be placed under its charge: 



1. The act above referred to provides that "all objects of art and 

 of foreign and curious research, and all objects of natural history, 

 plants, and geological and mineralogical specimens belonging, or 

 hereafter to belong-, to the United States, which may be in the city 

 of Washington,'' shall 1)6 delivered to the liegents of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, and together -with new specimens obtained by 

 exchange, donation, or otherwise, shall be so arranged and classi- 

 fied as best to facilitate examination and study. 



2. It provides that, in proportion as suitable arrangements can 

 be made for their reception, these objects shall be delivered to such 

 persons as may be authorized by the Board of Ivegents to receive 

 them, 



3. It provides that they shall be arranged in such order and so 

 classified as best to facilitate their examination and study. 



4. It provides that they shall thus be arranged in the building- to 

 be inclosed for tlie Institution. 



5. It authorizes the liegents to obtain new specimens, by exchange 

 of duplicate specimens and by gift, and directs also that they shall 

 be ap])ropriately classified and arranged. 



The National Museum thus became the authorized place of deposit 

 for all objects of art, archiieology, ethnology, natural historj^, miner- 

 alogy, geology, etc., belonging to the United States or collected by any 

 agency whatsoever for the Government of the United States, when no 

 longer needed for investigations in progress. 



The collections in the Museum are intended to exhibit the natural 

 and industrial resources, primarily of the United States and secondarily 

 of other parts of the world, for purposes of comparison. 



The activitiesof the Museum are exerted especially in three directions: 



1. The permanent preservation of the collections already in its posses- 

 sion, which depends chiefiy upon the vigilance of the curators and the 

 skill of the preparators. 



2. The increase of the collections, which are acquired — 



(1) From the various (lovernment surveys and expeditions, in 

 accordance witli law; 



(2) By gift from individuals, from other institutions, and from 

 foreign Governments; 



(3) By exchange for its duplicate specimens or ibr publications; 



(4) By the eftbrts of ofiticers of the Museum, who make collections 

 in connection with their regular duties, or are detailed for special 

 service of this nature; 



(5) By purchase, when appropriations are made by Congress for 

 that purpose. 



3. The utilization of the collections, which is effected by exhibiting 

 them to the public, and by encouraging investigations on the part oi 

 the officers of the Museum and other suitable persons, and facilitating 

 the publication of the results ; also by the distribution to other museums 

 and educational institutions of duplicate specimens, whi(!h have formed 

 the basis of scientific investigation, these being identified and labeled 

 by the best authorities. 



