FORTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. 1879-1881. 825 



used in the prosecution of American fisheries, the sum of $20,000 is hereby appro- 

 priated, out of any moneys not otherwise appropriated in the Treasury of the United 

 States, or so much thereof as may be necessary for the purpose, tb be immediately 

 available on the passage of this resolution, to be expended under the direction of the 

 Secretary of State. 



SEC. 2. That the United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries be, and is 

 hereby, authorized to represent the United States, either in person or by a deputy 

 to be appointed by the President of the United States; and that, at his discretion, he 

 may use any portion of the collections at present forming part of the National 

 Museum in making up the proposed exhibition by the United States. 



SEC. 3. That the United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries be, and is 

 hereby, instructed to present to Congress, through the Department of State, a report 

 upon the Berlin exhibition, showing the recent progress and present condition of the 

 fisheries and of fish-culture in foreign countries. 



(Stat, XXI, 301.) 



Berlin Fishery Exposition Baird prize. 



December 17, 1880 Senate. 



Mr. GEORGE F. EDMUNDS introduced a bill (S. 1928) to provide for 

 remitting the duties on the object of art awarded by the Berlin Inter- 

 national Fishery Commission to Prof. Spencer F. Baird. 



Mr. EDMUNDS. I move that the bill be referred, as usual in such 

 cases, to the Committee on Finance; but I wish to say (I think it is 

 perhaps to the public interest that 1 should say) what the circum- 

 stances were, for usually I am rather opposed to remitting dutias. 



At this great international exhibition, although Professor Baird 

 was not personally present, by the unanimous vote of the juries Pro- 

 fessor Baird was personally awarded the highest prize of honor, con- 

 sisting of an object of art, made of silver, I believe, which had been 

 given by the Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia to the exhi- 

 bition beforehand, as several other objects were given, to be awarded, 

 according to their discretion, by the juries to the most deserving per- 

 sons. Professor Baird, so well known in this country, as I say, 

 received the unanimous vote of the great juries of the exhibition as 

 being best entitled of all the people of the civilized world to this 

 great honor. 



A great many other prizes and premiums were awarded; -but in 

 respect of three or four of these objects they were called prizes of 

 honor. This particular prize has been sent to this country, so well 

 deserved, as I think it is, and under the circumstances it appears to me 

 that it would be right that the United States should allow the Pro- 

 fessor to receive it without being applied to to pay a tax upon it, 

 inasmuch as I think his service to the United States entitles him to 

 that consideration. 



In this connection, Mr. President, I beg to have read a letter to me 

 from Mr. Goode, who had charge of our interests at the exhibition, 

 if it is agreeable to the Senate. 



