EEPORT OP THE ACTING SECRETARY. 35 



Wales (King Edward VII) at the time of his visit to the United 

 States, by Sir John Watson Gordon; portrait of Josej^ha Boegart, 

 by Francis Pourbous, the younger; portrait of Madam Tulp, by 

 Janssens; painting, a street scene in India, by E, L. Weeks; paint- 

 ing, "Independence," by Meyer; a valuable small Roman mosaic; 

 an old engraving of John Hampden; painting. President Buchanan 

 and the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII) with his suite, the 

 Cabinet, and others, at the tomb of Washington, ISIount Vernon, by 

 Thomas Rossiter; portrait of President Buchanan, by Eichholtz; 

 miniature of President Buchanan, by Henry Brown; marble bust 

 of President Buchanan, by Dexter; marble bust of Mr. Johnston, by 

 Rhinehart; portrait of James Buchanan Johnston, by Harper Pen- 

 nington; marble Cupid, the likeness of Henry E. Johnston when 2 

 3'ears old, by Rhinehart; the first message sent over the Atlantic 

 cable, from Queen Victoria to President Buchanan, and the reply by 

 the latter; silver medal commemorative of the marriage of Victoria, 

 Princess Royal of England, to Frederick William, Crown Prince of 

 Germany, with a letter of transmittal from H. R. H. Albert, Prince 

 Consort, to President Buchanan; letter to President Buchanan from 

 the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII), transmitting his portrait; 

 two autograph letters from Queen Victoria to President Buchanan, 

 relating to the visit of the Prince of Wales to the United States, 

 dated June 22 and November 19, 1860; photograph of Queen Vic- 

 toria, with autograph signature and date " 1898," presented by the 

 Queen to Mrs. Johnston; gavel used at the Cincinnati convention, 

 June, 1856, at which Buchanan was nominated for the Presidency ; 

 Bible on which Buchanan took the oath of office as President, March 

 4, 1857. 



NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



The National Museum is carrying on its operations as effectively as 

 possible, though two obstacles have for many years stood in the way 

 of perfecting its condition — lack of space and an insufficient staff. 

 The first of these will soon be removed, and it is hoped that action 

 on the other will not long be delayed. 



The granite structure now being erected will be monumental in 

 character and cover a larger area than any other Government build- 

 ing in the city except the Capitol. Its four stories will contain 

 nearly 10 acres of floor space, which has been laid out to meet the 

 several requirements of exhibition, storage, and workrooms. Two 

 years have elapsed since the ground was broken, and in view of cer- 

 tain unavoidable delays another like period will probabl}^ be con- 

 sumed in its completion, but this length of time can not be regarded 

 as excessive, considering the massive character of the building and 



