70 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 181)3. 



found i)racticable to build up ii technological collection in connection 

 with the museum system of \N'ashington. 



Until withiu a few years, a military museum was nuxiutained in oue 

 of the buildings belonging to the War Department. When this wasabau- 

 doued in 1888, its contents were distributed among the arnu)ries and 

 arsenals throughout the country, in each of which some sort of museum 

 is maintained, but a considerable remainder, of a purely historical char 

 acter, was transferred to the National jMuseum. 



The old "National Cabinet of Curiosities" was long in eliarge of the 

 Interior Department, this arrangement dating from the days when the 

 old National Institute occupied a room in the so called Patent Oflice 

 building. This was transferred in 1858 to the Smithsonian Institution, 

 but a thread of administrative connection still attached the Museum 

 to the Dei)artment of the Interior until 1888, when, as narrated in the 

 Report of the Museum for that year, the Secretary of the Interior, hav- 

 ing investigated the law, decided that he had no official resi)onsibility 

 in connection with the Museum, and that the entire control should be 

 left to the Smithsonian Institution. 



These facts are mentioned simply to show that, by general consent, 

 the museum interests of the Capital are becoming yearly more concen- 

 trated, in accordance with the manifest intent of Congress m the act 

 establishing the Smithsonian Institution. 



It seems proper in each Annual Re}»ort to make special acknowledg- 

 ment of the kindly cooperation of the Executive Departments in the 

 general work of the Museum. 



The Department of State has, as always in the past, encouraged its 

 consular offi(!ers to make collections, and has transmitted with favor- 

 able rec-ommendations every request in behalf of the Museum, and these 

 officers have almost without exception responded enthusiastically to 

 the requests made of them. From such cooperation as this the ^luseum 

 has everything to hope in the future, and were it possiV)le to expend a 

 few thousands of dollars through the consular service each year, addi- 

 tions of Moiideiful value might be obtained from every (juarter of the 

 globe. 



Among those who have rendered special service during the past year 

 should be mentioned Mr. Henry Andrews, U. S. Consul, Ilankow, China; 

 Mr. 11. M. Bartleman, U. S. Legation, Carticas, Venezuela: Hon. Trux- 

 ton IJeale, U. S. Consul-General, Teheran, Persia; Mr. Erhard Bissinger, 

 U. S. Consul. Beirut, Syria; Hon. S. H. M. Byers, U. S. Consul-General, 

 St. Gall, Switzerland; Mr.J.Lyall, acting U.S.Consul^Singapore, Straits 

 Settlements; Mr. Lewis Dexter, U. S. Consul, Fayal, Azores; Mr. Louis 

 B. Grant, acting U. S, Consul-General, Cairo, Egypt; ^fr. Augustine 

 Heard, U.S. Consul-General, Seoul, Korea; Mr. Frank von Phul, Vice 

 Consul, San -luan del Norte, Nicaragua, and Mr. Alexander Webb, U. S. 

 Consul, Manila, Philippine Islands. The character of their contribu 

 tions is described under their respective names in the list of acces- 



