PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. XIX 



slowly but surely eating its way toward us Erom the sea through the rocky side of 

 the hill on which we stand, and the excavation lias lately runic so close to us that 

 the intervention of the consul became necessary to arrest further advance, on the 

 plea that our property would be endangered it the quarrying were carried on. 



A.ctual blasting has in tact been put an end to for the present, and the cemetery 

 (although the boundary wall is now on the very edge of the excavation) remains 

 untouched, but the local authorities who are the owners of the quarry have given us 

 to understand that they need more stone for their harbor works and are therefore 

 anxious to see our graves transferred from the position they now occupy, for which 

 purpose they would give us a suitable piece of ground in another part of the town 

 and would also undertake the due ami fitting transport of the remains. Should our 

 answer be in the negative, it is intimated to us that in five years' time, in 1905, the 

 term for applying the law for public utility (twenty years after the date of the last 

 burial) will have been reached, and we shall then have to give up of necessity what 

 we are now asked to yield as a concession. 



Under the circumstances the committee have decided that it is their best policy, in 

 the interest of all concerned, to begin to negotiate at once for the transfer on a decor- 

 ous footing of the British Cemetery and all its tombs, and although some consider- 

 able time may elapse before this transfer is accomplished, yet it is evident that the 

 time has now come for us to ask you to prepare your decision as to what is to be 

 done with regard to the James Smithson remains. Are they to be laid with all pos- 

 sible care and reverence in new ground here, or are they to be conveyed to the 

 United States? 



Awaiting the pleasure of your reply, 1 beg to remain, 

 Very faithfully, yours, 



E. A. Le Mesukier. 



The Secretary said that the cemetery referred to was not the cele- 

 brated Campo Santo of Genoa, but a very .small one in the care of the 

 British consul and the English church, situated in an elevated and iso- 

 lated spot, and that no interment had occurred there for many years. 

 The Regents had formerly authorized the placing of a bronze tablet 

 on Smithson's tomb, which had been done. 



The Secretary here exhibited photographs of the tomb, showing the 

 bronze tablet in position. Recently word had been received that the 

 bronze tablet had been stolen, but orders had been given to replace it 

 by a marble one. 



After some discussion, in which the desirability of bringing the 

 remains to this country was adversely considered, the following res- 

 olution, offered by Mr. Adams, was adopted: 



Resolved, In view of the proposed abolition of the English cemetery at Genoa, 

 which contains the remains of James Smithson, that the Secretary be requested to 

 arrange either with the English church or with tin' authorities of the national bury- 

 ing ground at Genoa for the reinterment of Smithson's remains and the transfer of 

 the original monument. 



secretary's statement. 



Experiments in Aerodromics — Eclipse expedition. — The Secretary 

 stated that in view of the lateness of the hour he would pass over 

 some of the matters about which he had intended to speak, among 



