294 BULLETIN OF THE 



tention of Congress. A general Museum appears to be a neces- 

 sary establishment at the seat of government of every civilized 

 nation. . . . An establishment of this kind can only be 

 supported by government; and the proposition ought never to be 

 encouraged of putting this duty on the limited though liberal 

 bequest of a foreigner."* This project was urged in almost 

 every subsequent Report. "There can be but little doubt that 

 in due time ample provision will be made for a Library and 

 Museum at the Capital of this Union, worthy of a government 

 whose perpetuity depends upon the virtue and intelligence of the 

 people. It is therefore unwise to hamper the more important 

 objects of this Institution by attempting to anticipate results 

 which will be eventually produced without the expenditure of its 

 means, "f " The importance of a collection at the seat of gov- 

 ernment, to illustrate the physical geography, natural history, and 

 ethnology, of the United States, cannot be too highly estimated : 

 but the support of such a collection ought not to be a burden 

 upon the Smitlisonian fund.''| 



Tlie popular mind did not however appear to be prepared to 

 accept these earnest presentations; and in 1858, the National 

 Museum was transferred by law to the custody of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, with the same annual appropriation (4,000 

 dollars) which had been granted to the United States Patent 

 OfiSce when in charge of it. 



So rapidly were the treasures of the Museum increased by the 

 gathered fruits of various government explorations and surveys, 

 as well as by the voluntary contributions of the numerous and 

 wide-spread tributaries of the Institution, that the policy was 

 early adopted of freely distributing duplicate specimens to other 

 institutions where they would be most appreciated and most 

 usefully applied. And in this way the Smithsonian became a 

 valuable centre of diffusion of the means of investigation in 

 geology, mineralogy, botany, zoology and archgeology. The clear 

 foresight which announced that the Museum must very soon out- 

 grow the entire capacity of the Smithsonian resources, has been 

 most amply vindicated :§ and to-day a large Government Build- 

 ing is stored from basement to attic, with boxed up rarities of 

 art and nature, sufficient more than twice to fill the Smithsonian 



* Smithsonian R.-porl for 1851, p. 227 (of Sen. ed.) p. 219, (of H. Rep. 



ed.) 



t Smithsonian Report, for 1852, p. 2.53, (of Seu. ed.) p. 245, (of IL 



Rep. ed.) 



t Smithsonian Report for 1853, p. 11, (of Sen. ed.) p. 9, (of H. Rep. ed.) 

 § Although from the rapid growth of the national collection after it 

 was transferred to the custody of the Smithsonian Institution, the annual 

 appropriation of 4,000 dollars by Congress very soon became wholly in- 

 sufficient to defray even one-half its necessary expenses, it was not till 

 1871 that the appropriation was raised to 10.000 dollars. lu 1872, it was 

 increased to 15,000 dollars, and in 1874, to 20,000 dollars. 



GS 



