FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS, 1877-1879. 777 



tributions are now stored in the armory four stories high, there being 

 4,000 boxes packed as full as the armory can hold. It was naturally 

 supposed by the governments which made these very generous con- 

 tributions to the United States that they would be placed where the 

 public could see them. We have immense riches in this line. The 

 results of over 200 exploring expeditions are now garnered in this city 

 in various localities, but without the possibility of their being properly 

 exhibited. 



Mr. President, I suppose that the contributions of some of these 

 States that were given to us, say of Siam, China, and Japan, will at 

 the present moment, when properly displayed, occupy more space than 

 the largest hall in the Smithsonian Institution, and must have cost 

 those Governments a very large sum of money, perhaps over $100,000. 

 The contributions that come to us from abroad and from our various 

 States and Territories are specially rich and valuable in iron, silver, 

 and gold ore, especially those of Norway, Sweden, Russia, Spain, 

 Portugal, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand, and our own contribu- 

 tions are exceedingly valuable in ores, metals, coals, building stones, 

 earth and clays for the potter's art, including all the economical 

 products of the animal kingdom, as furs, hides, skins, preparations of 

 fish and marine products, all the apparatus with which these animals 

 were captured and utilized, generally whatever illustrates animal and 

 mineral nature throughout the United States, and also a complete 

 illustration of the Indian tribes, costing about $40,000. These are not 

 merely curiosities, but they are specimens of objects that will be 

 permanently interesting and useful to the whole country. 



I may say that the contributions from the extreme eastern states, 

 from Siam, Japan, and China, including bronzes of rare workmanship, 

 could not have cost less, as 1 have said, than $100,000. At the present 

 time, in the basement of the Smithsonian Institution, there is three 

 times as much stored away as is on exhibition. I may say also that 

 there are five pieces alone that were given to us from the Centennial 

 Exposition upon which the actual cost or the estimate of the custom- 

 house department upon their value was $48,000. They are now pub- 

 lishing a volume containing a list of what they have of animal products 

 and products of the fisheries, where the title, occupying but a single 

 line, will fill 350 pages, and this is only one branch of the extensive 

 collection which is to find a place in the new building proposed. 



1 suppose, Mr. President, that every Senator who has made any 

 sort of investigation of this subject agrees as to the propriety of this 

 building being erected for the purpose of accommodating these large 

 results of our exploring expeditions and the Centennial Exposition, 

 and the various collections belonging to the Government that are now 

 gathered together in this city. The building will occupy a space on 



