$12,512 98 



7,169 95 



504 REPORTS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 



Salaries— Secretary $3,500 00 



Chief clerk 1,200 00 



Book-keeper 200 00 



Janitor 400 00 



Laborer 250 00 



"Watchman 365 00 



Extra clerks 250 00 



PUBLICATIONS, RESEARCHES, AND LECTURES. 



For Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge 3,562 92 



For reports on progress of knowledge 350 00 



For other publications 316 83 



For meteorology 1,862 28 



For computations 50 00 



For investigations 12 50 



For lectures, illustrations, and apparatus 40 66 



Attendants, &c 60 76 



Pay of lecturers 914 00 



LIBRARY, MUSEUM, AND GALLERY OF ART. 



Library: Cost of books $3,186 15 



Transportation for library 330 00 



Stereotype system 44 22 



Pay of assistants 1,740 00 



Incidentals to library 124 31 



Museum: Salary of Assistant Secretary 2,000 00 



Explorations 150 00 



Collections 150 50 



Alcohol, glass jars, &c 199 88 



Assistance, labor, and incidentals to museum 390 57 



Transportation for museum 529 24 



Gallery of Art 83 18 



$8,928 54 



$47,924 34 



It will be seen, from the foregoing statement, that the expenditures for the build- 

 ing differ considerably from the estimate of the committee. At the time of making 

 the estimate, they had no means of ascertaining what would be required for payment 

 of the contractor. The architect had not furnished his final statement of the entire- 

 cost of the edifice, and it was in consideration of this that a resolution was adopted, 

 authorizing the Building Committee to pay out of the special fund of the Institution 

 such sum as would be required. They have accordingly drawn $5,000 on this ac- 

 count from Messrs. Corcoran & Kiggs, as is shown in the general statement. 



On account of the large drafts required for payments on the building, an effort 

 was made to curtail the expenditures on other parts of the operations. The whole 

 sum appropriated for the current expenses of the Institution during the year 1855 r 

 exclusive of the building, was $32,465. Of this sum there has been expended but 

 $28,611.47; the remainder, $3,853.53, serves to increase the amount in the hands 

 of the Treasurer, and will be appropriated to discharging the sum still due the con- 

 tractor. 



Hereafter the funds of the Institution will be in a much more manageable condi- 

 tion. The architect has rendered his final account, and the sum of about $6,000 still 

 due on the building, being definitely known, a more precise estimate can be now 

 made. If the expenditures during the present year are kept within the estimate, 

 as they probably will be, the sum of $125,000 of accrued interest will be on hand at 

 the beginning of 1857, which may be permanently invested as a part of the capital. 



It has been stated, in the preceding reports, that a plan of finances was adopted in 

 the beginning, by which a portion of the income might be saved for the purpose of 

 increasing the capital rendered necessary to defray the expense of the support of the 

 large building authorized by Congress. It was at first proposed to add $100,000 to- 

 the original fund ; and afterwards the plan was enlarged, so as to make the amount 

 $150,000. This last plan, however, was based upon a limit of expenditure of $250,- 



