346 1ip:P0RT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891, 



^expeditions under the War and Xavy Departments; sixth, those of 

 miscenaneons collections jtresented or deposited by societies and indi- 

 viduals; and lastly, of anvxtensive series of the results of explorations 

 prosecuted by the Institution itsf'lf. J>y far the gi'eater jwrtion of the 

 whi)kvlias been made uiid«'r the stimulus ami iinme<liate, direction of 

 the Smithsonian Institntion. A number of tln^ special collections are 

 still in the hands ot those to whom they were intrusted for scientitic 

 investigation iin<l description. The arrangement of the cases and the 

 ■disiDOsition of the articles intended for public exhibition has been a sub- 

 ject requiring c-onsiderable thought and experiment. It was not only 

 desirable to obtain the largest ainonnt of space for the accommodation 

 of the articles, but also to arrange the whole so as to harmonize with 

 the architectural end3€^l!ishments of the large hall, and thus to produce 

 a proper resthetical effect.* 



In 1S59, the (luide Book, unofficial yet issued by an official of the 

 staff, was published with the words Guide to the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion and National Musjeum on its cover, and about this time the words 

 National Museum of the Fnited States were painted over the door of 

 the exhi])ition hall. 



Congress did not, however, give legal sanction to the use of this 

 uame until nearly- twenty years later, when providing for the erection of 

 the new building to receive the collections given to the Smithsonian 

 Institution at the close of the Centennial of 1S76. 



WASHiNCiTON, Fehritari/, 1891. 



T^o tp: a. 



Jancary 1, 1842. 

 To i^)o TTou. .1. C. Spencer and 



The Hou. A. P. Upshur: 



Gentlkmkn: The iiudersioned, a coraiuittee on belialf of the National liistitiitioii 

 for the Promotion of Science, liave the honor to submit to your consideration the foj- 

 towing fa<"ts and remarks. 



In a law of the 20th July, 1841, there is a provision in these words: " For the pnr- 

 !l>ose of enablioig the Secretaries of the War and Navy Departments to ]dace in a state 

 'of safe preservation the specimens of natural history which are now deposited in 

 their respective oflSces, or which maybe broiight tliere resulting from surveys of tl],e 

 unexplored regions of our own country, or from the exploring expeditious now in 

 tthe South Seas, by the authority and at the expense of the United States or other- 

 wise, a sum not to exceed iive huudred doHars." 



And in a law of March 3, 1841, there is another appro]iriation '• For defraying the 

 expense of transporting to the city of Washington and of arr;iiiLving the collections 

 made by the exploring expedition, five thousand dollars." 



These laws are considered as having determined the principles which shonlil govern 

 in such cases. 



First, that the expenditures should be made under the direction oftlu^ Secretaries 

 of the War and the Navy Departments; and 



Second, that the collections should be Ijrought to Washington and arranged there. 



In the discharge of these duties, the Secretaries of the two Departments named 

 directed the collections referred to to be delivered to the care of the National Insti- 

 tution, for the purpose of being arranged under its supervision, 



^Ojo. eii., 1858, pp. 40, 41, 



