4 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1917. 



National Museum — Continued. 



Preservation of collections $300,000 



Books 2, 000 



Postage 500 



Building repairs . 10, 000 



National Zoological Park 100,000 



International Catalogue of Scientific Literature 7,500 



Total 581,500 



GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 



Throughout its history the Smithsonian Institution has constantly 

 cooperated with the executive departments and other establishments 

 of the Government in all matters pertaining to scientific activities. 

 Particularly during the period of the present world war has the 

 Institution been of service in connection with many important meas- 

 ures. Every member of its scientific staff, every one of its 500 

 or more employees, has aided the Nation to the utmost in every 

 possible manner. The laboratories and workshops of the Institution 

 and its branches have been utilized to their fullest extent and routine 

 affairs have taken second place whenever important national matters 

 have needed attention. Your Secretary, as president of the National 

 Academy of Sciences, as chairman of the military committee of the 

 National Research Council, and as chairman of the executive com- 

 mittee of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, has had 

 opportunity to keep in close touch with the needs of the Nation and to 

 give such advice as has been in his power, especially in connection 

 with the development of aeronautics. 



The Institution was particularly fortunate in having as former 

 Secretary, Prof. S. P. Langley. who in 1896 gave to the world a prac- 

 tical demonstration of the feasibility of mechanical flight by a ma- 

 chine heavier than air propelled by its own power. To him the 

 Nation to-day owes more than can be told, and as an indication of that 

 debt his memory is fittingly preserved in the name "Langley Field," a 

 tract of some 1.800 acres near Hampton, Virginia, Avhere extensive ex- 

 periments of the highest importance to the art of aviation are now 

 being carried on. The Government has now been aroused to the su- 

 preme worth of airplanes, machines which Professor Langley 20 years 

 ago foresaw would be of great service in times of war as well as 

 peace. His prophecy has been fulfilled far beyond his hopes or 

 dreams. The large machine with which his personal experiments 

 ceased in 1903 proved its worth and its capability of actual flight 

 during the past year. Change after change in the design of air- 

 planes to adapt them for scouting, for fighting, and other military 

 purposes has followed in rapid succession until now aerial battles 

 are of daily occurrence and nations are looking ahead to their ex- 

 tended use under peace conditions. 



