REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1908. Di. 
1814;” “Iron versus Wood—Sinking of the Cumberland by the 
Merrimac in Hampton Roads, Mareh 8th, 1862; “The White 
Squadron’s Farewell Salute to the Body of Captain John Ericsson, 
New York Bay, August 25th, 1890;” * Return of the Conquerors— 
Typifying Our Victory in the late Spanish-American War, Septem- 
ber 29th, 1899.” 
By act of Congress, approved May 22, 1908, the colossal marble 
statue of Washington by Horatio Greenough, completed in 1840 and 
since 1875 occupying a position in front of the main steps of the 
Capitol, was transferred to the custody of the Smithsonian Institu- 
tion. It is intended to place this work in the Smithsonian building 
until a more fitting location for it shall be found, probably in connee- 
tion with the National Gallery of Art. The statue has been greatly 
injured by its long exposure in the open air, but its preservation has 
been urged by artists qualified to pass upon its merits. 
AN IMPORTANT ART MOVEMENT. 
The Centennial Exhibition of 1876 afforded the first opportunity 
for extending the activities of the Museum into the field of the arts 
and crafts. In fact, the extensive collections obtained in that con- 
nection, which influenced the erection of the present Museum build- 
ing, completed in 1881, belonged largely in this category. They con- 
sisted principally of gifts contributed by over thirty different nations 
and many American exhibitors, and while none of the subjects 
represented was covered comprehensively, yet the material as a whole 
formed an excellent nucleus from which to build. Most of the objects 
were placed on exhibition in the beginning, but the greater part was 
subsequently crowded out and sent to storage. Among the subjects 
retained on display were several that lend themselves to artistic 
workmanship of a high order. The exhibits along these lines have 
been added to by donation and purchase, and supplemented by im- 
portant loans, and although they are still relatively small, they 
contain much that is of value and importance. In the graphic arts, 
ceramics, metal work, glass work, and lacquer there is now a partial 
segregation of materials, but some of the finest examples of these 
subjects and illustrations of others are incorporated with the histor- 
ical collections or have been temporarily installed among the exhibits 
in ethnology. That the early efforts toward building up this depart- 
ment were not systematically continued has been mainly due to the 
lack of space, but with the additional room soon to be acquired the 
work will be actively resumed, in the hope that before many years 
creditable progress can be shown in the matter of illustrating the 
materials, processes, and finished products, as well as the history of 
the development, of the various arts and handicrafts. 
