rRO('Ki:nTN(;s of tiik boahd of rkofnts. xxix 



For iioarly s('vtMi1.v-liv(> yciirs tlio body of Sniillison has Iniii in an almost 

 forgot ten i^ravo in tlic pictuivstiiic little liritisli ci'iiu'tcry on the licifXlits ol San 

 B»'iii.i,Mi(>. in (JiMKta. ("ity inipi-ovcnicnts have now rendered necessary the e.xpro- 

 jniation of the ceniettM-y and the reinnval of the remains: and at the last meel- 

 iii.U of the I'.oard of Keiients of the Smithsoinan Institution I was apiioinled a 

 connnittee to ai-ran,i,'e for the transfi-r of the hodv of Smithsou to the I'nited 

 States. 



lTl>on my arrival in (ieiioa 1 was afforded evei-y jiossihle facility for the 

 accom])lishment t)f my mission liy the iirovincial and mnnicipal authorities, by 

 His r.ritish Majesty's consul-.ueneral (.Mr. Keene). and hy the connnittee of the 

 I'.ritish r.nrial (Jromid Fnnd Association, in which is v(>ste(l the ownership of 

 the cemetery, as wt>ll as hy our own consul, ?»Ir. William Henry T.ishop. to 

 whom 1 am indebted for invalnal)le assistance. 



On the .'Jlst of I)ecend»er, llKl."!. the toPib of Smithson was opened in my 

 I>resence as tlie ropri'sentative of the Smithsonian liistitution, and in the 

 I'resenco of the American consul, Mr. Bishop, and six other witnesses. Tho 

 lemains of James Snnthson were I'everently raised from the .ijravo and placed 

 in a metallic casket, over which the consul of the I'nited States cast the Ameri- 

 can tia.ir. while the witnesses stood around with uncovered heads. 



The casket was left in tlu> mortuary chapel of the cemetery — securely sealed 

 and under suard — until the 2d da> of .January, 10()4, when it was placed in a 

 votWu of stroiiiT wood, as re(iuii-ed i>y Italian law, and was then removed to the 

 North (ierman Lloyd steamship rriiicrss Irene, accompained by the .American 

 consul and m.vself. 



The steamer left Genoa on the 7th (.f .January ; and upon arrival in the 

 T'nited States the remains of J.-imes Smithson wei'e received with national 

 honors by direction of the President and of the Secretary of the Navy and the 

 Scci-etary of War. 



The remains were transiK)rted to Washington on the IT. s. dispatch lioat 

 Ihtlitltiii, and have been escorted to the Sn-ithsonian Institution l)y I'luted 

 States cavalr.v. 



.\nd now, IMr. Senator, my mission is ended, and 1 deliver into your hands, as 

 the representative of the Board of Iteiijcmts of the Snnthsonian Institution, the 

 remains of this j^reat benefactor of the United States. 



REMARKS Ol' SENATOR hUYK. 



Sir: The Smithsonian Institution receives with profound gratitude the 

 remains of its distin.^uished founder. I'rovidenee, every now and then, seems 

 to place in the world a man and inspires him with a purpose to elevate his 

 fellow-men. Such a man was Mr. Snnthson, the founder of this Institution. 

 The spirit, sir, which promi)ted you to such earnest endeavor, resultinj; as it 

 did in takin.i,' these remains from thi-ir restin.s; place in a country foreifjn to 

 him and foreiirn to us, and brimriuLr them here, where for so maiiy years w(> 

 have en.ioyed the rich fruits of his splendid benefaction, your countrvmen will 

 ai>preciate. His gravi' here will be an incentive to earnest, faithful, wise, and 

 discreet endeavor to carry out his lofty purposes, and, sir. it will be to our 

 people a sacred spot while the Republic endures. 



Appendix II. — Reixiri of Mr. Gilbert H. Groftreiior. M. A., concerning the cor- 

 respondence irhieJt resiiUcd in tlie eooperation of I he I nited f^fofea Clorern- 

 inenf in trttn.-tportinfi the remains of James Sniillison from \c/r )'orl- to the 

 Smithsonian Institution in M'ushintiton. />. ('. 



lIuBRARn Memoriat, Hale, 

 WiishiiKjton, I). C, .lanuanj i-i, 1!)0',. 

 Dear Mr. Bell: I beg to submit the following report on arrangements for 

 the reception of James Smithson. On January 7 I received the following cable- 

 gram from .vou : 



"Genoa, ./aniiari/ 7. I'jii.'i. 

 " Gilbert Grosvenor, 



'"Memorial Building, Sixteentli and .][. Washi)n/lon. />. <'. 

 "We bring Smithson's remains steamship Princess Irene, touching Naples 

 and (Jibraltar. Sco Henderson, llitt, I.angley about f(n-nialilics of landing and 

 transfer to Washington. 



" (Ju.viiAM Bell." 



