20 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



For coustnietioa and repair of buildings and improvements of water 

 supply at — 



Manchester, Iowa $7, 000 



Baird, Cal 10, 000 



For care of fish ponds, Monument Lot 300 



For repairs to schooner Grampus ^ 7,500 



For purchase of steam launches at — 



Yes Bay, Alaska 8,000 



Boothhay Harbor, Me 5,000 



In accordance with law the expenditures under these several appro- 

 priations will be made the subject of a special report. 



RECOMMENDATION. 

 NEW BUILDING AND PUBLIC AQUARIUM. 



Attention is again directed to the inadequate and obsolete quarters 

 occupied by the Bureau of Fisheries in Washington, with emphasis 

 upon the necessity for a new office building containing special labora- 

 tory facilities that are now lacking. Much of the work of the Bureau 

 in the interests of the fisheries and fish culture requires for its suc- 

 cessful accomplishment fresh and salt water tanks in which experi- 

 mental investigations may be conducted. The absence of such tanks 

 at headquarters has greatly retarded progress and in some cases has 

 necessitated the indefinite postponement of important inquiries. 



In conjunction with the desired new office building there should be 

 maintained a modern aquarium, which would be a place of great 

 public interest and educational value and at the same time of practi- 

 cal utility to the Bureau. The facilities already possessed by the 

 Bureau for stocking and operating such an aquarium would permit 

 its maintenance at a trifling cost. Attention is called to references 

 to a national aquarium in the report of the Secretary of Commerce 

 and Labor for 1903. 



Respectfully, Geo. M. Bowers, 



Commissioner. 



To Hon. Oscar S. Straus, 



Secretary of Commerce and Labor. 



o 



