2 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1918. 



and Frank L. Greene to succeed Ernest W. Roberts and James T. 

 Lloyd whose terms expired December 26, 1917. The roll of regents 

 on June 30, 1918, was as follows: Edward D. White, Chief Justice 

 of the United States, Chancellor; Thomas R. Marshall, Vice Presi- 

 dent of the United States; Henry Cabot Lodge, Member of the 

 Senate; Charles S. Thomas, Member of the Senate; Henry French 

 Hollis, Member of the Senate; Scott Ferris, Member of the House 

 of Representatives; Lemuel P. Padgett, Member of the House of 

 Representatives; Frank L. Greene, Member of the House of Repre- 

 sentatives; Alexander Graham Bell, citizen of Washington, D. C; 

 George Gray, citizen of Delaware ; Charles F. Choate, jr., citizen of 

 Massachusetts; John B. Henderson, citizen of Washington, D. C. 

 (Charles W. Fairbanks, of Indiana, died June 4, 1918, vacancy not 

 filled at close of fiscal year) ; and Henry White, citizen of Maryland. 

 The board held its annual meeting on December 13, 1917. Mr. 

 Henry White was elected a member of the executive committee to fill 

 the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Ernest W. Roberts, 

 whose term of office would expire on December 26, 1917. The pro- 

 ceedings of that meeting, as also the annual financial report of the 

 executive committee, have been printed, as usual, for the use of the 

 regents, while such important matters acted upon as are of public 

 interest are reviewed under appropriate heads in the present report 

 of the secretary. A detailed statement of disbursements from the 

 Government appropriations under the direction of the Institution 

 for the maintenance of the National Museum, the National Zoological 

 Park, and other branches will be submitted to Congress by the secre- 

 tary in the usual manner in compliance with the law. 



GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS, 



The routine operations of the Institution and its branches were 

 carried on as usual during the year, but a number of activities were 

 held in abeyance until after the war. The time and energy of mem- 

 bers of the scientific staff were devoted, as far as practicable, to re- 

 searches bearing on the effectiveness of certain devices and materials 

 for the Army and Navy, and 24 employees were granted furloughs to 

 enter active military service. . 



Through my connection with the National Research Council and 

 other commissions and boards I have been able personally to render 

 some war service to the Government. 



The work of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, 

 of which the secretary of the Institution is a member and chairman 

 of the executive committee, has greatly broadened. At its suggestion 

 the Council of National Defense appointed a committee, now known 

 as the Aircraft Board, to consider all questions of aircraft produc- 

 tion and to make recommendations to the military departments for 



