REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1920. 33 



one of the members of its scientific staff and the resignation soon 

 afterwards of the remaining two members. Mr. Gilbert, after sever- 

 ing active relations continued, under appointment on an honorary 

 basis, to give advisory supervision over these collections, all of which 

 had been developed under his direction. It is hoped that another 

 year will find this division manned and again to the front as it was 

 so signally during the period of the Avar. 



Probably the most important addition to the collections of the 

 division of mechanical technology during the year was a twelve 

 cylinder Liberty airplane motor, the gift of the Lincoln Motor Com- 

 pany. The motor is complete in every detail and in addition, various 

 portions are cut away to show the interior parts in operative rela- 

 tion. Another accession of note was a replica of the original typog- 

 rapher, invented and patented by William Austin Burt in 1829, the 

 gift of his grandson, Hiram Austin Burt. As representative of the 

 early beginnings of the American typewriter this forms a very im- 

 portant addition to the exhibit showing the development of the type- 

 writer. The time-keeping collections were enhanced by the gift of 

 two watches from Mr. George W. Spier, honorary custodian of 

 watches. In the section of marine transportation there was added 

 a model of one of the freight ships built at Hog Island Shipyard in 

 1919, received from the United States Senate Committee oh Com- 

 merce, through Senator Wesley L. Jones, Chairman. 



Early in the year plans for the future development of the division 

 of mechanical technology were formulated, the end in view being a 

 Museum of Engineering. Accordingly, the collections in care of the 

 division were first rearranged in the halls, the basis of rearrangement 

 being the kind of object rather than the source, thus, one hall now 

 includes all objects relating to land transportation and aerial trans- 

 portation; another hall, marine transportation; another hall, metrol- 

 ogy and mechanical transmission of intelligence. This work re- 

 quired the full time of the division's force during the year. 



The reports of the head curators in the natural history depart- 

 ments and of the curators in the department of arts and industries, 

 beginning on page 57, give in detail the additions to and the work 

 on their collections during the year. 



NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART. 



The National Gallery of Art — the department of fine arts of 

 the Museum — continued in charge of Dr. W. H. Holmes, as curator, 

 the collections occupying mainly the central skylighted hall on 

 the first floor of the north wing of the Natural History Building. 

 Good progress was made during the year in the acquirement of art 

 works and constant attention was given to all classes of exhibits 

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