ESTABLISHING THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 761 



tracts, shall be certified by the Board of Eegents, or Executive 

 Committee thereof, to the Chancellor and Secretary. 



2. They shall examine the same. 



•3. And, if they shall approve thereof, shall certify the same to the proper 

 officer of the U. S. Treasury for payment. — Sec. Sd. 



XVI. Reports to Congress. 



The Board of Regents shall annually report to Congress an account of 

 the operations, expenditures, and condition of the Institution. — Sec. 

 Sd. 



XVII. Selection of Site for Institution. 



1. After Board of Regents shall have met, and become organized, it shall 



be their duty forthwith to proceed to select a suitable site, &c. 



2. May be taken out of the ground between Patent Office and 7th street: 



Provided, President, the several Secretaries, and Commissioner of 

 the Patent Office, shall consent to the same. 



5, If not, then such location may be made on other of the public grounds 



in the City of Washington, belonging to U. S., which said Regents 

 may select, by and with the consent of the persons above named. — 

 Sees, ith and 5th. 



XVIII. Evidence of Selection. 



1. Grounds so selected shall be set out by metes and bounds. 



2. Description recorded in a book provided for the purpose. 



3. Signed by said Regents, or so many of them as may be convened at 



the time of organization. 



4. Certified copy thereof to be evidence of boundaries, &c. ; and said 



lands are appropriated by said act. — Sec. 4th. 



XIX. Buildings to be Erected. 



1. After selection of site, Board of Regents shall cause to bo erected a 



suitable building. 



2. Of plain and durable materials, and structure. 



3. "Without unnecessary ornament. 



4. Of sufficient size. 



•5. With suitable rooms, or halls, for the reception and arrangement, 

 upon a liberal scale: (1) Of objects of Natural History. (2.) A 

 geological and mineralogical cabinet. (3.) A chemical laboratory. 

 (4.) A library. (5.) A gallery of art. (6.) And the necessary lec- 

 ture rooms. — Sec. 5tk. 



6, May be made to form wing of Patent Office. 



XX. Contracts and Claims for Building. 



i. Said Board shall have authority, by themselves, or by a committee of 

 three of their members, to contract for the completion of such build- 

 ing upon plan adopted by Regents. 



2. Shall take sufficient security for building and finishing same, accord- 

 ing to plan, and in the time stipulated. 



5. Duplicates of contracts to be filed with Treasurer of United States. 



4. All claims under contracts shall be certified by Board of Regents, or 

 the Executive Committee, and signed by Chancellor and Secretary, 

 and paid at the Treasury of United States. — Sec. bth. 



XXI. Cost of Building. 



1. The sum was left blank in the act. — Sec. 5th. 



2. The interest which had accrued previous to 1st September, 1846, 



minus the current expenses, and the surplus interest of any subse- 

 quent year, may be appropriated to this purpose. — Sees. 2d and 5th. 



