REPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 3 



who feel that they have lost in him, not onh' a counselor and adviser, 

 but a dear and honored friend; and that without desiring to intrude 

 upon the private grief of his family, they wish to express to them 

 their share in their sorrow. 



Resolved^ That this minute be entered as a part of the journal of 

 the Board and a copy be transmitted to the family of Senator Morrill. 



Further mention of Senator Morrill will be found in the necrology. 



On January 18, 1899, Senator O. H. Piatt, of Connecticut, was 

 appointed a Regent by the President of the Senate to succeed Senator 

 Morrill. Dr. J. B. Angell, of Michigan, was reappointed a Regent by a 

 joint resolution of Congress, approved by the President January 24, 

 1899. 



The Secretary's report and the reports of various committees were 

 submitted, the Secretary mentioning among other matters of interest 

 the need of a sj^stematic exploration of new territories, the cooperation 

 of the Army and Navy in securing animals for the National Zoological 

 Park, the aerodromic work in cooperation with the War Department, 

 and the necessity of a law protecting sites on the public domain con- 

 taining aboriginal ruins. 



The question of the relation of the Smithsonian Institution to the 

 proposed National University, was referred to a committee composed 

 of the Hon. J. B. Henderson, Dr. W. L. Wilson, Dr. A. Graham Bell, 

 Dr. J. B. Angell, and the Hon. R. R. Hitt. 



Since the meeting of the Board, Senator William Lindsa}', of Ken- 

 tucky, was, on March 3, 1899, appointed by the President of the Senate 

 a Regent to succeed Senator Gray, whose term as Senator had expired. 



GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 



The operations of the Institution are constantly on the increase, 

 but while it is impossible to give an idea in brief of their extent and 

 variety, it may not be superfluous to at least indicate them in a few 

 words. The parent institution devotes itself to its primary functions 

 of "the increase and difl'usion of knowledge" along the lines of its 

 original programme, adopted by the Board of Regents in 181:7 and 

 reenacted by them in 1851, interpreting the establishing act. 



The "increase" is advanced by researches now being actively pro- 

 moted in nearly every department of knowledge b}" its own officials, 

 by their preparation of results for publication, and by grants to special 

 investigators and explorers, by administering legacies for scientific 

 ends, furnishing information and advice, and in like ways. These, 

 the original functions of the Institution, are performed primarily out 

 of the income of the Smithsonian fund and other private funds, with 

 a comparativel}' small force, which is yet independently ])usied in the 

 supervision of researches carried on in the Institution's bureaus, under 

 governmental appropriations directed by it. 



