FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS, 1873-1875. 711 



the greatest authority on this question. He happened to reside at 

 Cambridge in his ^youth and in the time' of his early studies. The 

 libraries and scientific apparatus which were necessary for the prose- 

 cution of his studies in that department of science were there. So in 

 the case of Professor Dana. I suppose any California gentleman on 

 this floor will agree that no man has been so great a benefactor to 

 the development of the mineral resources of the State of California 

 as Professors Dana and Whitney. (Professor Whitney, indeed, has 

 resided in California of late years.) Professor Dana is a great author- 

 ity on matters of mines and minerals, and his life has been where a 

 library and apparatus, making the prosecution of his labors pleasant 

 and profitable, existed. 



Now the name of Alexander T. Stewart, a distinguished financier, 

 has been recommended in the place of another man of wealth and a 

 business man in the State of New York (Mr. Astor), and the commit- 

 tee would have been delighted to adopt that recommendation; but we 

 were informed by a gentleman on the committee, from the State of 

 New York, that the state of Mr. Stewart's health is such that it would 

 not be certain he would be able to give his personal attention to the 

 business of the Board of Regents. Therefore, because it was not a 

 matter of personal honor, but because it was a matter of supplying 

 the wants of this Institution, we recommend in his stead the name of 

 an eminent man of science in the State of Pennsylvania, formerly the 

 head of a university in that State, who adds to the reputation and 

 capacity of a scientific man great financial ability, as exhibited in the 

 management of his institution. 



Mr. FERNANDO WOOD. Will the gentleman from Massachusetts, 

 before he sits down, please tell me whether Mr. Astor retires at his 

 own request? 



Mr. HOAE. Yes, sir. 



Mr. WOOD. I am sorry for it, for he is one of the best belles-lettres 

 scholars in the country. I will say, further, that I can not see what 

 practical service these gentlemen render when they come here once a 

 year for a day or two. 



Mr. HOAR. 1 am glad the gentleman has made that suggestion. 

 Suppose the gentleman from New York goes to Professor Henry with 

 a paper composed by himself or some friend, or asking an investiga- 

 tion involving the use of apparatus or other expenditure from the 

 funds of the Institution; Professor Henry refers that paper or that 

 request for an examination to one of these scientific gentlemen; he 

 sends it to him at his home, and he spends perhaps days or weeks in 

 determining whether the paper is one proper to be published at the 

 expense of the Smithsonian Institute, or whether the investigation is 

 one fit to be pursued. This meeting once or twice a year in Washing- 

 ton is bufa trifle to the labor which these five or six scientific gentle- 



