JOURNAL OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 475 



much importance with the observations making at Toronto, and 

 elsewhere, in recording the changes of the direction of the needle. 

 On motion — 



Resolved, That the Secretary be requested to procure such an instrument, to be paid 

 for out of any unappropriated funds. 



Owing to the abseuce of Mr. Bradley, the clerk of the commit- 

 tee, no accounts were presented to be audited at this meeting. 



TWENTY-FIFTH MEETING. 



December 21, 1849. 



The Executive Committee met in the east wing of the Smithso- 

 nian building. 



Present, Mr. Seaton, (Chairman,) Professor A. D. Bache, the 

 Chancellor and Secretary. 



The Chairman laid before the committee a number of accounts, 

 which were audited. 



The Secretary made the following statements, relative to the 

 operations of the Institution, since the last meeting of the Execu- 

 tive Committee : 



A meeting of the establishment had been held in the Institution, at the call of the 

 President of the United States, at which the following gentlemen were elected Hon- 

 orary Members: Benjamin Silliman, Albert Gallatin, Kobert Hare, and Washington 

 Irving. These gentlemen have signified their acceptance, with the exception of 

 Hon. Albert Gallatin, whose illness and subsequent death probably prevented his 

 doing the same. 



Since the last meeting of the committee, stock to the amount of $10,000 had been 

 sold, for the purposes of the building, and there now remained on hand $200,000. 



Distribution of the Fli'st Volume. 



As far as we have been advised, the first volume of Contributions has been well 

 received; and we shall obtain in exchange more volumes than we sent. 



The second volume of Contributions is now in the press, and will contain the fol- 

 lowing memoirs, which have been submitted for examination, and accepted for pub- 

 lication, to wit : 



1. A memoir, from Sears C. Walker, on the planet Neptune. 



2. A memoir on Cubic Equations, by Dr. Strong. 



3. A memoir on the Discovery of a Comet, by Miss Mitchell. 



4. A memoir on Detonations and Explosions, by Dr. Hare. 



5. A memoir on the Physical Geography of the United States, (Part I,) by Charles 

 Ellet, Jr. 



6. A memoir on Electrical Kheometry, by Professor Secchi. 



7. A memoir on the Mosasaurus, by Dr. W. Gibbs. 



8. A memoir on the Ancient Monuments of the State of New York, by E. G. 

 Squier. 



A number of memoirs are in progress of preparation, which will probably more 

 than complete the second volume. It has been determined to publish each memoir 

 separately, with subordinate title and separate paging. 



An elaborate report has been received, from Professors Salisbury and Gibbs, on a 

 paper submitted to them, relative to the affinity of the Sanscrit and Chinese lan- 

 guages. This memoir was not accepted. A copy of the same memoir had been pre- 

 viously sent to the American Oriental Society, by mail, but it failed to reach its des- 

 tination, and nothing could be learned concerning it, either at the post office of 



