APPENDIX I 

 REPORT ON THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Sik : I have the honor to submit the following report on the opera- 

 tions of the United States National Museum for the fiscal year end- 

 ing June 30, 1923. 



Much has been accomplished this year along long-established lines 

 of endeavor. Without increased financial resources to grasp the 

 many opportunities for widening the scope of the exhibits and of 

 their usefulness to the public, efforts were mainly concentrated on 

 filling gaps in existing collections and on increasing their value and 

 usefulness through classification and arrangement, the two primary 

 objects of the Museum as given in the fundamental act. The 

 Museum has continued, as in the past, to be greatly aided in this 

 work by workers in other governmental departments. For instance, 

 the Museum pays for the services of but three persons in connection 

 with the vast insect collection. However, this collection has had 

 during the year most of the time of 15 entomologists and a fluctuat- 

 ing number of preparators — usually about 25 persons in all. With 

 so many workers great progress has been made in studying and 

 arranging the collection. Here, as elsewhere in the Museum, prog- 

 ress was retarded to a certain extent by lack of supplies, which the 

 Museum is unable to furnish with its very limited maintenance fund. 



The organization of the Museum has been but slightly changed. 

 In August, 1922, the old collections of animal and vegetable products 

 were combined in a new section of organic chemistry in the depart- 

 ment of arts and industries, and an aid for that section was added to 

 the scientific staff. 



An exchange of collections was made between two divisions of the 

 Museum on July 1, 1922, by which the division of history took over 

 the custody of the small arms collection in the northwest court of 

 the Arts and Industries Building, which has been built up by the 

 division of mechanical technology, and the latter relieved the divi- 

 sion of history of the aircraft collection exhibited in the Aircraft 

 Building. 



Great difficulty has been experienced in maintaining the quota of 

 watchmen necessary for guarding the buildings. The conditions 

 under which the watchmen are required to work here are more 

 onerous and exacting than in any other bureau of the Government. 



27 



