REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 6 



111 the report for 1S73 ullusion is made to the enoriiioiis increase 

 iii tbe iiatioiial collections, "requiring- the utmost exertions of tbe 

 limited force conueeted with tbe National jMuseum for its jn-oper treat- 

 ment."'* 



Although tbe appropriations for tbe ]\luseuiii lia\e of late years been 

 more liberal, it is certain that, on account of the immense annual 

 increase in the quantity of material recei\ cd. (|uite as much care and 

 caution is still needed. 



Tbe iSmithsonian Institution from its foundation Ibsteied explora- 

 tions, and its Museum Mas enriched by the numerous ethnological and 

 natural history objects brought home by the explorers. Many gifts 

 were received from private sources, and valuable objects were depos- 

 ited in its Museum for safe-keeping. Tbe nucleus of its collections 

 was a small but valuable cabinet of luiuerals formed by tbe Foun<ler, 

 James Smitbson, who was himself a chemist and mineralogist of good 

 repute, and a Fellow of tbe Royal Society of London. 



At tbe time of the establishment of tbe Institution several naval 

 expeditions and surveys of tbe public domain were being organized 

 by tbe Government, and during their progress large collections of 

 ethnological and natural history objects were made. Important for 

 eign material was obtained by tbe Pacific Exidoiing Expedition, 

 Perry's Expedition to Japan, and the other naval expeditions, while 

 tbe naturalists attached to tbe Pacific Paiiroad Survey, tbe Mexican 

 Boundary Survey, and tbe surveys under the Army Engineer Corps, 

 brought together great collections illustrating the natural resources 

 and ethnology of North America. 



A new source of growth, subsequent to 1871, was the exploration 

 of tbe waters of North America, by the U. S. Fisb Commission, whose 

 connection with the Institution has always been intimate. 



At tbe close of tbe Centennial Exhibition of 1876 tbeexliibitsof tbe 

 United States Government, and those of numerous foreign govern- 

 ments and of private exhibitors, came to tbe National Museum. 



A new period now began. Tbe storage rooms and exhibition balls 

 of tbe Smithsonian building were already overfiowing- witb tbe accu- 

 mulations of thirty years, and tbe small number of persons emi)loyed 

 in caring for them were overburdened and unable to do the necessary 

 work. Tbe scope of tbe collections bad become wider and a new and 

 broader classification was found to be necessary. The growth of tbe 

 country in wealth and culture was leading to tbe establishment of 

 many local museums, and tbe educational influences flowing from these 

 and from tbe Centennial Exhibition caused a demand for more eflicient 

 methods of musiiem administration. 



The exhibition of 1876 had been indeed an event of great educational 

 importance to tbe people of tbe United States; and not tbe least of its 



Report, Sniitbsouian lustitutiou, 1873, p. 48. 



