70 TENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



hj Congress. It was at first proposed to add $100,000 to the origi- 

 nal fund ; and afterwards the plan was enlarged, so as to make the 

 amount $150,000. This last plan, however, was based upon a limit 

 of expenditure of $250,000 for the building. The scheme would 

 have been entirely successful, and even a larger saving might have 

 been made had the building been completed within the estimated 

 cost ; but this was found inconsistent with a proper regard to the 

 safety and durability of the edifice. The actual cost, according to the 

 statement of the Building Committee, exclusive of furniture, is about 

 ^310,000 ; notwithstanding this, the sum which has been saved is 

 |l25,000. Although this is not all that could have been wished, it is, 

 perhaps, more than could have been reasonably anticipated. The 

 committee have been informed that Messrs, Corcoran and Riggs do 

 not desire any longer to retain possession of the surplus fund, and it 

 will therefore be necessary to urge its acceptance by Congress as an 

 addition to the fund in the United States treasury, or securely invest 

 it in State stocks. The interest on the original fund is received semi- 

 annually^ and as far as possible it will be advisable to make the 

 payments of salaries and other objects at the same time. Unless 

 this is done, a surplus will continually be required which is not draw- 

 ing interest, or bills must be paid by drafts in anticipation of the end 

 of the half year. While the building was in process of erection, it 

 was impossible to observe a rule of this kind, since, according to the 

 original contract, the payments for the work done were to be made 

 monthly. 



It will be recollected that a portion of the Smithsonian bequest 

 (about $25,000) still remains in England as the principal of a lile an- 

 nuity in favor of Madame de la Batut, the mother of the nephew of 

 Smithson. The annuitant is a very aged person, and cannot in the 

 ordinary course of nature be expected long to survive. The Hon. 

 Mr. Rush, to whom this matter was referred, has written to Messrs. 

 Clarke, Fynmore, & Fladgate, the solicitors employed in obtaining 

 the bequest, asking them to procure information in regard to this 

 point. 



Another subject, which may require the attention of the Board, is 

 that of the Wynn estate, contingently bequeathed to the Smithsonian 

 Institution. It appears by a letter from Joseph H. Patton, esq. , of New 

 York, who was engaged by the Board to inquire into tlie matter, that 

 the widow of Mr; Thomas Wynn was married in 1854 to Captain An- 

 derson, of the Royal artillery, now stationed at Barbadoes, where she 

 resides with the child, upon whose decease, without issue, the bulk of 

 the estate is to come to this Institution. 



Mr. Patton advises that the Board require from the executors secu- 

 rity for the proper fulfilment of the trust. 



