334 The Smithsonian Institution 



important foreign collections of a few early expeditions, and 

 those resulting from the deep-sea investigations of the United 

 States Fish Commission, the additions in this direction have 

 chiefly come from the activities of private explorers, by gift 

 of foreign governments at expositions, by exchange of speci- 

 mens, and only in a few instances by purchase. 



In the organic law of the Smithsonian Institution already 

 cited it is provided that 



" In proportion as suitable arrangements can be made for 

 their reception, all objects of art and of foreign and curious 

 research, and all objects of natural history, plants, and geo- 

 logical and mineralogical specimens belonging, or hereafter 

 to belong to the United States, which may be in the city of 

 Washington, in whosesoever custody the same may be, shall 

 be delivered to such persons as may be authorized by the 

 Board of Regents to receive them, and shall be arranged in 

 such order and so classed as best to facilitate the examina- 

 tion and study of them." 



In the act of June 30, 1880, making appropriations for the 

 sundry civil expenses of the government, it is enacted that 

 "all collections of rocks, minerals, soils, fossils, and objects 

 of natural history, archaeology, and ethnology, made by the 

 Coast and Interior Survey, the Geological Survey, or by any 

 other parties for the government of the United States, when 

 no longer needed for investigations in progress, shall be 

 deposited in the National Museum." * 



In the same year, as we have said, Congress appropriated 

 money " for a fire-proof building, for the use of the National 

 Museum" 



As may be seen from the statutes cited, the National Mu- 

 seum is the recognized depository for all objects of scientific 

 and artistic interest and value which come into the possession 



1 Statutes United States Forty-fifth Congress, third session, chapter 182, page 394. 



