JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 389 



Poland, General Sherman, Hon. Peter Parker, Professor L. Agassiz, 

 Rev. Dr. John Maclean, and the Secretary, Professor Henry. 



The Chancellor took the chair. 



The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. 



Excuses for non-attendance were received from Messrs. Colfax, Cox, 

 and Cooke. 



Hon. Peter Parker submitted the report of the Executive Committee, 

 which was read, and, on motion of Mr. Poland, was accepted. 



Dr. Maclean, from the Executive Committee, presented a report ad- 

 verse to the claim for a portrait of Washington painted by C. W. 

 Peale. 



On motion of Mr. Hamlin, the report was accepted, ordered to be filed, 

 and a copy to be furnished to the claimant. 



The Secretary stated that during the last session of Congress, mainly 

 through the efforts of Mr. Hamlin, the following provision had been 

 adopted in regard to postage facilities : 



"All publications sent or received by the Smithsonian Institution, marked on each 

 package " Smithsonian Exchange," shall be allowed to pass free in the mail." 



fNew Postal Code, 6th Sub-div., 184th Sec, Judb, 1872. 



This does not provide for letters, nor specimens of natural history; 

 and since the transfer of the museum of the Land-Office to the Institu- 

 tion, the postage on minerals sent by the United States surveyors had 

 become a considerable item of expense. The Secretary of the Interior, 

 however, had offered to receive for the Institution all such specimens, if 

 sent by mail to that Department. 



Mr. Hamlin stated that a bill had passed the House of Eepreseuta- 

 tives abolishing the franking privilege, and if it passed the Senate the 

 Institution would again have to pay postage.* 



The Secretary stated that the New York, Newfoundland, and London 

 Cable Telegraph Company, and the Western Union Telegraph Company 

 had liberally granted the privilege the Institution had requested, to 

 transmit without charge between Europe and America announcements 

 of astronomical discoveries, such as planets, comets, &c. 



On motion of Mr. Hamlin, the following resolution was adopted : 



Resolved, That the thanks of the Board of Eegents of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution be tendered to the New York, Newfoundland, and 

 London Telegraph Company, and to the Western Union Telegraph 

 Company, for their grant of the free transmission of telegrams relative 

 to astronomical discoveries. 



The Secretary stated that Mr. George Catlin, the Indian traveler and 

 student of ethnology, who had exhibited his sketches of Indian life in 

 the Institution, died in December last, and as it was very desirable that 

 his valuable ethnological collection should be preserved, and, if possi- 

 ble, secured by Congress, it was proper that the Board of Regents 

 should take some action in regard to the matter. 



* This bill has since become a law. 



