780 OONGRESSIOKAL PROCEEDINGS. 



February 17, 1879 — House. 



February 17, 1879. 

 Hon, A. S. Hewitt, 



Chairman, Suheomniittee on ApjpTop7^,ationH. 



Sir: I beg to comply herewith with your instructions to furnish 

 some explanation of the reasons why the Smithsonian Institution 

 asked for an appropriation of $35,000 for the general purposes of the 

 National Museum, when $25,500 onlj' was allowed for the present 

 fiscal j^ear. 



I now have the honor to inclose a list of the appropriations for the 

 service of the National Museum for the preservation and maintenance 

 of the collections of the United States Government during the past 

 seven years, from which you will see that a very abrupt and material 

 reduction in the amount allowed for the purpose in question has been 

 made for two years past, resulting in seriously embarrassing the 

 operations of the Museum and preventing it from carrying out its full 

 measure of usefulness. 



Up to the period preceding the Centennial Exhibition the collec- 

 tions of the National Museum were comparatively limited and were 

 readily administered by the appropriations made. In 1874, however, 

 the appropriations for the Centennial Exhibition were begun, on 

 which occasion the Institution was required by Congress to present a 

 complete picture of the animal and mineral resources of the United 

 States and of their applications to human industries. 



With the large collections made up for exhibition at Philadelphia 

 at an expense of about $110,000, and the enormous mass of foreign 

 contributions, we have now in our charge more than four times as 

 much material as in 1873, requiring increased force and expenditure 

 to keep it in proper condition. 



Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



Spencer F. Baird, 

 Secretary^ SwitJisoiiian Institution. 



Schedule of appropriations made for the service of the National Museum, in charge 

 of the Smithsonian Institution during the past seven years. 



For 1873 $25,000 



For 1874 42,000 



For 1875 - - - - 30, 000 



For 1876 40,000 



For 1877 37, 500 



For 1878 - 25, 500 



For 1879 25,500 



The amount asked for for the fiscal year 1880 is $35,000, in addition 

 to which $3,000 are desired for the purpose of carrying out the 

 instructions of the Committee on Pul)lic Buildings in securing the 



