XIV PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. 



liiul, ill fiu-t, doc'liiu'd to accept the position if he were wholly inhibited 

 from currying- on origintd researches. After conference. Dr. Kidder 

 and himself (Dr. Bell) had ag-reed then, at the suggestion of Dr. Baird, 

 to place a certain sum of money at the present Secretary's disposal 

 for scientific investigations. The amount which he (Dr. Bell) gave 

 had been g'iven b}" him to be devoted for any purpose to which Secre- 

 tary Langle}^ might wish to put it in his reseaches, and he felt sure 

 that such use Avould be entirely consonant with the wish of Dr. 

 Kidder. 



Dr. Bell then offered the following resolution: 



AVherea.«, at the iiieeting of the Board of Regents held January 27, 1892, the fol- 

 lowing resolution was jiassetl: 



"That Congress having appropriated $10,000 for the maintenance of an astrophys- 

 ical observatory, without reference to any precedent condition of buildings to be 

 furnished by the Smithsonian Institution, that the Secretary be authorized to expend, 

 under the general resolution relative to income and expenditure, the sum of $5,000 

 bequeathed by Dr. J. H. Kidder, and $5,000 given by Alexander Graham Bell, in 

 directions consonant with the known wishes of the testator and the donor." 



Resolved, That to prevent any misconception as to the meaning of this resolution 

 the Board of Regents declare that it was their intent that the sum of $5,000, received 

 from the estate of Dr. J .H. Kidder, be placed at the disposal of the Secretary for his 

 personal scientific investigations. 



After some further discussion, on motion the resolution was adopted. 



THE SECKETAKY's STATEMENT. 



The Secretar}" then said that, owing to the evident limitations of time 

 at the Board's dispostd, he would a))ridge his usual statement to it. 



He spoke briefly of the National Museum, of the cooperation of the 

 State, AVar, and Navy Departments in providing animals for the 

 National Zoological Park, and of the relationship of the Institution to 

 the Board of Ordnance and Fortifications. 



In regard to this last he said that it was a matter on which he would 

 state to the Regents that his connection with experiments, which had 

 already their sanction, was being continued on the request of the Wai' 

 Department, and reminded them that it was estimated that these 

 experiments would occupv, even if crowned with unexpectedly early 

 success, two or more 3"ears. The sum allotted by the War Depart- 

 ment would ]>e insufficient to carry out this work were it not for the 

 permission of the Regents already g'iven to make use of the facilities 

 in the workshops under their control, though at the cost of the War 

 Department. The Secretary was giving his time in his private hours, 

 apart from his official duties, to this work, and without charge. 



The Secretary then spoke of the Hodgkins Fund, of the awarding 

 of the medal to Prof. James Dewar, of the coming solar eclipse of 

 Ma\^ 28, IDOi), and of the pro))a))ility of an appropriation by Con- 

 gress for this purpose. 



