XIV PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. 



The term of Dr. Andrew D. White having expired, he was reap- 

 pointed to .succeed himself by a joint resolution of Congress approved 

 June 2, L900. 



The vacancy in the Board, caused by the death of Dr. William L. 

 Wilson, has been filled by the appointment of the Hon. George Gray. 

 through a joint resolution approved January 14. 1901. 



The Secretary read a letter of acceptance from Dr. Andrew D. 

 White, at present United States ambassador to Germany. 



The Secretary presented his annual report to June 30, 1900, calling 

 the attention of the Regents to the fact that it contained an account 

 of every important part of the affairs of the Smithsonian Institution 

 during the past year prepared by himself, but supplemented by full 

 reports from the gentlemen in charge of the various bureaus. He 

 would particularly call their attention, among numerous matters in the 

 report, to the subject of the Exchanges. He then detailed the facts 

 of the applications of the Institution through our ambassadors at 

 London, Paris, and Berlin, in the interests of the Government. 



The Secretary spoke about the Zoological Bark and the desirability 

 that the Government would place in that city of refuge for the van- 

 ishing animal races of the North American continent some specimens 

 of the giant animals of Alaska, which were now going the way that 

 the buffalo had gone. He then asked the attention of the Regents to 

 a subject of minor importance, but of some interest, alluded to in the 

 report under the title of the Children's Room. 



On motion, the report was accepted. 



Air. Hitt here said that he desired to bring before the Board the 

 knowledge of certain proceedings which had taken place at the Univer- 

 sity of Cambridge in England when the Secretary had received the 

 honorary degree of doctor of science. This had been conferred in con- 

 nection with an oration in Latin delivered by the public orator, and 

 which Mr. Henderson, whom they knew to be a scholar who loved the 

 tasks of scholarship, had translated into such English as Horace would 

 have used if he had to speak in that tongue. Mr. Henderson had 

 sent him a copy of this, and he now presented it to the Board with a 

 request that it be placed upon the minutes. Mr. Hitt then read the 

 following translation: 



From across the Atlantic there has very recently been borne to us a man distin- 

 guished in the world of science — one who hut lately has published a most interest- 

 ing and useful work on astronomy. In the city which is the capita! of the greatest 

 transmarine republic many important duties are committed to his care: First, the 

 supervision of a <rreat museum abundantly filled with objects of natural history; 

 next, the administration of an institution the most celebrated for the increase and 

 diffusion of knowledge among nun; and, lastly, the control of an observatory with 

 instruments designed for the purpose of dissecting and analyzing the light of the 

 stars. It is said that below the red rays of the spectrum there are other rays, unde- 

 tected by the sharpest vision, hut which, through the genius of this man. aided by 

 an instrument discovered by him and named a "bolometer," have been gradually 

 developed and made plainly visible. 



