THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 77 



The Secretary prcsentcfl a letter from Joseph H. Patton, esq., of 

 New York, rehitive to the Wyim estate ; which, after several docu- 

 ments relating to the subject had been read, was referred to Mr. Ma- 

 son, to whom former communications on this business had been sub- 

 mitted. 



It was stated by the Secretary that .Messrs. Corcoran & Riggs were 

 not desirous to retain in their hands the extra funds of tlie Institution ; 

 whereupon, alter remarks as to the proper dis2)osition of the money, 

 on motion of Mr. Warner, it was 



Resolved, That the committee appointed on the 24th of February, 

 1855, be directed to inquire and report upon the propriety and man- 

 ner of permanently investing the money of the Institution now in the 

 hands of Messrs. Corcoran & Riggs. 



The Secretary read a communication from Frederick Gottcri, of 

 Malta, received through the Department of State, relative to the es- 

 tablishment of a school for the instruction of persons in this country 

 in silk culture and manufactures. 



On motion, the letter was referred to the Commissioner of Patents. 



A communication from John Phillips, esq., assistant general secre- 

 tary of tlie British Association for the Advancement of Science, was 

 read, containing the following extract from the proceedings of that 

 body : 



" A communication from Professor Henry, of Washington, having 

 been read, containing a proposal for the publication of a catalogue of 

 philosophical memoirs scattered throughout the Transactions of socie- 

 ties in Europe and America, with the oiFer of co-o]ieration on the part 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, to the extent of prejtaring and pub- 

 lishing, in accordance with the general plan which might be adopted 

 by the British Association, a catalogue of all the American memoirs 

 on physical science, the committee approve of the suggestion, and 

 recommend that Mr. Cayley, Mr. Grant, and Professor Stokes, be 

 appointed a committee to consider the best system of arrangement, 

 and to report thereon to the council." 



The Secretary having stated to the Board that a number of the 

 steamship and railroad companies had granted special facilities to the 

 Institution, in forwarding its packages free of cost, and particularly 

 in granting a free passage to its agent sent to California to make col- 

 lections in natural history, &c., 



On motion of General Totten, the following resolution was adopted : 



Resolved, Tliat the Secretary, on the part of the Regents of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, return thanks to the United States Mail 

 Steamship Company, M. 0. Roberts, president ; Pacific Mail Steam- 

 ship Company, W. H. Aspinwall, president ; South American Mail 

 Steamship Company, Don Juan Matheson, president; Mexican Gulf 

 Steamship Company, Harris & Morgan, agents ; and the Panama 

 Railroad Company, David Hoagley, president, for their liberality 

 and generous offices in relation to the transportation, without charge, 

 of articles connected with the operations of the Institution. 



The Secretary read the following letter : 



