REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 539 



the abstracts from the reports of the observers for the Monthly Bulletin of the 

 Agricultural Department. 



The appropriation received for the preservation of the collections of the 

 exploring expeditions of the United States has been expended as heretofore, 

 under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, in assisting to pay the 

 expenses of employes in the museum, and the cost of arranging and preserving 

 the articles. This appropriation is $4,000 annually, but during the last year an 

 additional sum of $2,000 was received, due for the year 1865, which had not 

 been paid on account of the failure of the appropriation bill to pass Congress at 

 the usual time. 



The specimens intrusted to the care of the Institution are in a good condition, 

 although on account of the unfinished state of the building much care and labor 

 have been required to preserve them from the effects of dampness. 



The committee have examined three hundred and eighty-two vouchers, em- 

 bracing several thousand items, for payments during the year, amounting col- 

 lectively to $75,211 35. All these vouchers are for moneys actually expended, 

 and for legitimate purposes of the Institution, and are in the form which has 

 heretofore been in use. The committee, however, would advise that in future 

 the following rules, similar to those in use by government, be adopted: 



1. Vouchers to be made out on blanks furnished by the Institution. 



2. All receipts for money paid to be signed by a principal, and not by an 

 agent unless legally authorized. 



3. Each voucher to be complete in itself; no payments to be made on a run- 

 ning account. 



During the year the State of Tennessee made arrangements to issue six per 

 -cent, coupon bonds to pay off the arrearage of interest which had accumulated 

 during the war. The claims for interest to be converted into these new bonds 

 were limited to amounts of not less than $1,000. As the interest due the Institu- 

 tion was $3,600, Mr. Riggs was instructed to sell the odd $600 worth of coupons 

 and convert the remaining $3,000 into stock. The sale of these coupons yielded 

 $402, which sum has been credited in the receipts of the Institution for the 

 year, and three bonds of one thousand dollars each, added to the permanent in- 

 vestment. 



It is impossible, until it is known what further action the board wi 1 take in 



regard to the disposition of the stocks, to give a definite estimate of the receipts 



and expenditures during the present year. The following, however, may be 



considered as an approximation sufficiently exact for the general appropriations 



for the operations of the Institution, and the continuance of the work upon the 



building : 



Estimates for the year 1867. 



RECEIPTS. 



Balance in hand January, 1867 Z22, 891 23 



Interest on original bequest 30, 910 14 



Probable premium on coin 10, 000 00 



Interest on $54,150 in United States 7.30 bonds, unpaid coupons 



from February 15, 1865, to February 15, 1867 7, 905 90 



