BY THE ENGLISH SCIENTIFIC COMMISSION. 781 



Harvey, of Dublin, and also several works on insects, by 

 De Saussure, of Geneva, and Leou, a German naturalist. 



The Institution endeavors in all cases to occupy ground 

 untenanted by other Institutions, and whenever any other 

 establishment will take up a line of research we imme- 

 diately relinquish it and enter upon a new field : for ex- 

 ample, a few years ago a report on forest trees was com- 

 menced, and collections of all the different specimens of 

 the forest trees of the country for this purpose were made ; 

 and this having become very expensive, has now been 

 turned over to the Agricultural Department, which will get 

 an appropriation from Congress for it, and the work will 

 be done, while the money of Smithson is saved for other 

 purposes. 



1423. What does the building itself represent? — Exter- 

 nally a Norman castle, and it has cost a very large sum. 

 Unfortunately, architecture is frequently in antagonism 

 with science, and, too often, when an architect gets his 

 hand iuto the purse of an establishment, everything else 

 must stand aside. Much trouble has resulted from this 

 building; it has been a source of constant anxiety and 

 expense, the cost having greatly exceeded the original 

 estimate. 



1424. What was the original object of the building ? — It 

 was intended to accommodate a library, a museum, and a 

 gallery of art ; but, inasmuch as the Institution has turned 

 over the library and the gallery of - art to other establish- 

 ments, the building will now be devoted entirely to the mu- 

 seum. The upper part of it was burnt, and it remains un- 

 finished; and if Congress would accept the building as a 

 gift, allowing one of the wings for the use of the Institution, 

 and devoting the main portion to the museum, it would be 

 a gain to the Institution. 



Independent of the building, the Institution has a capital 

 of $700,000 now, so that the financial condition of it is very 

 favorable. The friends of the Institution are very sensitive 

 with regard to its reputation, and are fully aware of the 

 responsibility incurred by accepting the trust. The bequest 

 came from England, and it is felt that the intelligence and 

 integrity of the Government of the United States are in 

 some degree involved in the manner in which this bequest 

 is administered, and there is a desire to administer it for 

 the benefit of mankind, through the advance of science. 

 Its importance, as an example, can scarcely be over-esti- 

 mated : there are in the United States a great many men 



