REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. B 



In accordance with the above resokition the Board met on Decem- 

 ber 6, 1904, January 25, 1905, and March 6, 1905. 



The following is an abstract of its proceedings, which latter will 

 be found in the annual report of the Board to Congress : 



REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER G, 1904. 



A statement concerning the disposition of the remains of James 

 Smithson, and the report of the special committee having in charge 

 the final disposition of the remains, was presented to the Board, 

 which adopted the following resolution : 



" Resolved, That the special committee having in charge the matter 

 of the final disposition of the remains of James Smithson be author- 

 ized to receive the original tomb, and to place it, suitably inscribed, 

 with the remains, in some proper position that they may select in the 

 grounds of the Institution ; the expenses involved in the matter to 

 be met from the funds of the Institution." 



The Secretar}^ made a statement to the Board concerning the prog- 

 ress on the new building for the National Museum. The excavation 

 for the building was begun on June 15, 1904, and the laying of the 

 foundations in concrete was finished November 9, 1904. The con- 

 tracts for the granite had been entered into. 



The Secretary recalled to the Board the various bills introduced 

 for the preservation of antiquities on the national domain. He had 

 learned in the meantime that the Secretary of the Interior had in 

 contemplation a bill which would meet the needs of the Department 

 and be satisfactory to the Institution, wliich had prepared for the 

 Secretary of the Interior the requisite maps giving the location of 

 antiquities on the public lands. The Secretary of the Interior had 

 also taken preliminary steps for the appointment of guardians for 

 important ruins. 



ANNUAL MEETING, JANUARY 25, 1905. 



The Secretary announced the reappointment of Dr. J. B. Angell 

 as a Regent for six years, by joint resolution approved by the 

 President January 19, 1905. 



The usual resolution relative to income and expenditure was 

 adopted, and the annual reports of the Secretary, the executive com- 

 mittee, and the permanent committee were submitted. 



The special committee on the disposition of the remains of James 

 Smithson reported the arrival of the original tomb, and their decision, 

 under the authority given at the previous meeting, to place it and the 

 remains within the Smithsonian building. A statement of the rein- 

 terment of the remains will be found on a subsequent page. 



The Secretary informed the Board of the proposal of Mr. Charles 

 L. Freer, of Detroit, to bequeath or to make a deed of gift, to take 

 effect upon his death, of a collection of paintings and etchings, largely 



