108 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1918. 



VACANCY IN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 



Mr. Roberts said that his term as a regent expired in a few days, 

 and tendered his resignation as a member of the executive committee, 

 which was accepted. 



On motion, Mr. Henry White was elected to fill the vacancy thus 

 created. 



ANNUAL REPORT OF PERMANENT COMMITTEE. 



IIodgHns fund. — In its last report, the committee gave a state- 

 ment of the allotments and expenditures under a yearly grant of 

 $5,000 to the Langley Aerodynamical Laboratory for three years, 

 showing the termination of this grant, with approved outstanding 

 liabilities amounting to $4,725.53. These liabilities included an allot- 

 ment of $2,000 for tests with the Langley machine and one of $2,500 

 made to the United States Weather Bureau for investigations which 

 would result in the mapping of the atmosphere up to 20,000 feet over 

 the United States and adjoining area. Of these, the first has been 

 paid and the second has been relinquished b} T the Weather Bureau 

 as funds for this and other research have been provided by congres- 

 sional action. There remains as liabilities, therefore, the small sum 

 of $225.53. 



An allotment of $5,000 per annum for three years was made to 

 Dr. Charles G. Abbot, director of the Astrophysical Observatory of 

 this Institution, for the establishment of an astrophysical station 

 in the Argentine Republic. Owing to conditions brought about by 

 the war, the location has been abandoned for the present, and the 

 station has been established at Elk Park, N. C. Of the two allot- 

 ments already made, $6,261 have been expended. 



No changes have occurred in the other bequests in which the Insti- 

 tution is interested, and which have been the subject of previous 

 reports. 



Freer Art Building. — The funds originally placed with the Insti- 

 tution by Mr. Charles L. Freer, of Detroit, for the construction of 

 the building for his art collections, amounted to $1,000,000 in cash 

 and 2,000 shares of the capital stock of Parke, Davis & Co., of De- 

 troit. At present the condition of the fund is as follows : 



Balance shed. 



Building fund (cash) $1,000,000.00 



Stock (book value) 250,000.00 



Interest and dividends 50,779.05 



Construction $159, 4G2. 10 



Architect's services 30,000.00 



Architect's expenses 11, 852. 95 



Sewer construction 1, 500. 00 



Experimental gallery 5, 52G. 02 



Bills receivable (certificates of deposit) 810,000.00 



Stocks 250, 000. 00 



Cash 32, 437. 9S 



1, 300, 779. 05 1, 300, 779. 05 



