REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 31 



When Congress comes to appropriate for the increase of 



space to over twenty times what it is at present (which amount 

 will be necessary to provide for our present collections on a 

 scale of space only commensurate with that now allotted, for 

 example, by the American Museum of Natural Histoiy), it 

 will be found that the Museum's most valued property does 

 not lie only in the granite walls of its new building, if it have 

 one, nor in the cases, nor in the specimens, however import- 

 ant these may be, but in its possession of a corps of long- 

 trained and long-experienced workers. 



This band of collaborators has continued its labors in most 

 cases while their duties have been growing more onerous and 

 their pay has remained practically stationary, because its 

 members are as a rule working for the love of their work 

 rather than for pay; but unless more adequate provision is 

 made now, the Museum, when Congress has granted new 

 quarters for it, will not be able to take into them those who 

 in the past have made it what it is, these men, its best posses- 

 sion, who are now going and who will have gone. 



It is alwa} 7 s to be remembered that the collections and 

 specimens referred to have not been purchased on any 

 digested plan, and though in themselves often very valuable, 

 are mainly derived from Government expeditions often organ- 

 ized for purposes other than collecting, from gifts, and from 

 other sources, and that their usefulness is always impaired 

 unless the gaps between them are tilled. A small appropria- 

 tion was provided for this purpose — that is, chiefly the tilling 

 of gaps in the collections, in 1898 — but the amount available is 

 so limited and the deficiencies in the collection so great that 

 it will be impracticable to add any new series of objects at 

 present. It is hoped that Congress may hereafter grant 

 larger sums for this purpose and for such unique character- 

 istic American objects as are rapidly disappearing. 



The Secretary does not wish to say that the National Mu- 

 seum, under this absolute denial by Congress of its indispen- 

 sable means of existence, has fallen to a second place among 

 American museums, but he would ask a comparison between 

 it and others which were once its inferiors. 



Taking a single instance, that of the American Museum of 

 Natural History — the museum of the State of New York — 

 some statistics have been secured with regard to its size and 



