316 The Smithsonian Institution 



While the Institution was thus exerting itself to obtain 

 special collections to serve as the basis of research, the Com- 

 missioner of Patents was growing each year more desirous 

 of having the use of the space occupied in the Patent Office 

 by the national collections, and appealed frequently to Con- 

 gress and to the Regents of the Institution to relieve him 

 of their care. 



In 1857, when Professor Henry brought the matter before 

 them anew, they finally agreed that the transfer of the collec- 

 tions to the Smithsonian building should take place, but 

 stipulated that an appropriation should be made to cover the 

 expense of the transfer and the construction of cases in the 

 Smithsonian building, and that the Secretary of the Interior 

 should undertake to obtain from Congress, as before, an 

 annual appropriation for the care of the collections. In his 

 report for 1856 Secretary Henry said: 



" For the present, it may be well to adopt the plan suggested 

 in a late report of the Commissioner of Patents, namely, to 

 remove the museum of the Exploring Expedition, which now 

 fills a large and valuable room in the Patent Office, wanted 

 for the exhibition of models, to the spacious hall of the Insti- 

 tution, at present unoccupied, and to continue, under the direc- 

 tion of the Regents, the appropriation now annually made for 

 the preservation and display of the collections. 



" Although the Regents, a few years ago, declined to accept 

 this museum as a gift, yet, since experience has shown that 

 the building will ultimately be filled with objects of natural 

 history belonging to the general government, which, for the 

 good of science, it will be necessary to preserve, it may be a 

 question whether, in consideration of this fact, it would not 

 be well to offer the use of the large room immediately for a 

 national museum, of which the Smithsonian Institution would 

 be the mere curator, and the expense of maintaining which 

 should be paid by the general government." 1 



1 " Smithsonian Report," 1856, page 22. 



