FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS, 1885-1887. 



1023 



have already oeen received in large part; and the bibliography in question has 

 therefore a distinct and direct relationship to the Museum. 



(2) U. S. Fish Commission. Under the law the annual report of the operations of 

 the Commission is presented; but, unfortunately, there being no general provision 

 by which the regular edition can be printed without a specific order, the work is 

 dependent upon Congressional order, action upon which, when obtained, is usually 

 deferred in the Government Printing Office in favor of more urgent requisitions. 

 The volumes of this report for 1883, although stereotyped and ready to print in 

 November last, still remain in the printer's hands. The report for 1884 is also 

 nearly ready for the press. 



For the purpose of bringing promptly before the community interested the work 

 and discoveries of the U. S. Fish Commission, and valuable information in regard to 

 fish culture and the fisheries, Congress several years ago authorized the printing of 

 a work not to exceed 500 pages annually, and including the regular edition plus 

 5,000 copies to be issued by signatures as ready, so that the editors of agricultural 

 and statistical journals, as well as of the leading dailies, might have the data fresh 

 as it occurred, instead of waiting a period of one or two years after the expiration of 

 the year to which the matter referred. In this way much important information is 

 disseminated at an early date. Of the extra edition (1,500 copies) ordered for the 

 Fish Commission, about 250 sets are distributed in this way, the remainder being 

 held until completed and furnished in cloth. The Congressional edition is only 

 supplied in cloth in complete volumes. 



The editions of the reports of the Smithsonian Institution and the Fish Commission 

 have all been established by Congressional action without solicitation on the part of 

 either the Smithsonian Institution or the Fish Commission, and I respectfully call 

 your attention to the comparatively slight expense that they have been _ to the Gov- 

 ernment. This is due mainly to the fact that as few illustrations as possible are intro- 

 duced, and these are almost exclusively woodcuts from relief blocks which are printed 

 with the text, and, while usually costing not to exceed 18 cents per square inch, are 

 printed at very little more than the expense of ordinary type. 

 Very respectfully, 



SPENCER F. BAIRD. 



Hon. THOMAS RYAN, 



House of Representatives, City. 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 

 Washington, D. C., June 2, 1886. 



SIR: In compliance with your oral request, I have the honor to inclose the follow- 

 ing statement of the floor space occupied by the Geological Survey for its offices in 

 Washington. The space given includes only interior room measurements. 

 I am, with respect, yours, etc., 



J. W. POWELL, Director. 

 Mr. EDWARD CLARK, 



Architect of the Capitol, Washington, D. C. 



