TtEPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 41 



connection with the Chemists' Club of New York City, or the Na- 

 tional Museum in Washington, or the American Museum of Natural 

 History in New York City, preference to be given in the order named. 

 The chief object of the museum was to be the preservation of all new 

 substances described as the result of chemical research, either by ob- 

 taining the same by gift or purchase from the discoverer or by caus- 

 ing the same to be prepared in sufficient quantity according to the dis- 

 coverer's published directions — all for the purpose of facilitating 

 comparison by subsequent observers. 



The Chemists' Club of New^ York accepted the trust, but being 

 unable to comply with the conditions in the Loeb will, offered to give 

 up their claim, and the Institution indicated its willingness to accept 

 the responsibility, through the National Museum. The fund should 

 hereafter yield an annual income of about $1,155, though the amount 

 for the calendar year 1920 will be slightly less. 



By means of this income from the Morris Loeb fund, the Smith- 

 sonian Institution proposes to build up in the National Museum " the 

 Loeb collection of chemical types," a permanent reference or study 

 collection of new substances and original material resulting from 

 chemical research. Steps will be taken to secure a competent advisory 

 committee composed of eminent chemists of the country to advise 

 on the policy to be pursued in dealing with investigators desiring the 

 use of portions of type material in the Loeb collection. 



The general scheme has the sanction of various governmental 

 chemists, and the Bureau of Chemistry, Department of Agriculture, 

 favoring the establishment of such a collection under the Museum as 

 the proper place for a national collection, offers hearty cooperation, 

 placing at the Museum's disposal in developing this project any of 

 the bureau's resources in the way of personnel, equipment, and sup- 

 plies. 



It is hoped shortly to reorganize the division, or section, of chem- 

 ical industries, in the department of arts and industries, begun in 

 1886. Insufficiency of funds prevents this being done at once. In 

 the meantime the Loeb collection, as well as other chemical specimens 

 which the agitation of this subject will doubtless bring to the 

 Museum, will be cared for under the direction of one of the curators 

 in arts and industries. 



BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT. 



The first deficiency act for 1920 included an item of $5,640 for 

 placing the Natural History Building in the same condition as it 

 was when occupied by the Bureau of War Risk Insurance in October, 

 1917. This permitted the pointing up of the damaged plastered 

 walls and the painting of walls, ceilings, and floors in the area occu- 

 pied by the bureau from October, 1917, to March, 1919. 



