Events in History of Institution 



839 



June 12, Telephones introduced. 



Dec. ij, East wing of the Smithsonian building converted into offices and work-rooms. 



1879 



Jan. f6, Memorial services in honor of Secretary Henry held in the U. S. Capitol. 



Jan. 24, Act passed by Congress authorizing the Chancellor of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution to appoint an acting Secretary in certain cases. 



March 15, Bequest of $500 received from Doctor Simeon Habel of New York. 



March j, Congress appropriated $250,000 for a fireproof building for the National Museum. 



March j, All official mail matter sent from the Smithsonian Institution allowed transmission 

 free of postage by Act of Congress. 



March j, Congress ordered " all the archives, records, and materials relating to the Indians 

 of North America, collected by the Geographical and Geological Survey of the 

 Rocky Mountain Region , turned over to the Smithsonian Institution, that the 

 work may be completed and prepared for publication under its direction." 



March j, Congress provided that books or documents from the Smithsonian Institution 

 should not be restricted to four pounds for each package to be sent through the 

 mails as fourth-class matter. 



March j, Congress ordered " all collections of rocks, minerals, soils, fossils, and ob- 

 jects of natural history, archaeology and ethnology made by the Coast and Inte- 

 rior Survey, the Geological Survey, or by any other parties for the Government 

 of the United States, when no longer needed for investigations in progress, to 

 be deposited in the National Museum." 



July j, Secretary Baird designated John W. Powell to take charge of the Ethnological 

 work, as provided by Congress. 



Aug. /, Series of publications entitled " Proceedings of the National Museum " begun. 



1880 



June i, Congress appropriated $15,000 for a bronze statue of Professor Joseph Henry, by 



W. W. Story. 

 June 14, First report of the Bureau of Ethnology ordered to be published by Congress. 



1881 



March 4, Reception and ball in connection with inauguration of President Garfield held in 

 the National Museum building. 



Sept. i to Sept. jo, Smithsonian Institution participated in the International Geographical 

 Congress in Venice. 



Sept. 13 to Oct. 5, Smithsonian Institution participated in the International Electrical Con- 

 gress in Paris. 



October, Smithsonian National Museum Building occupied. 



1882 



Jan. 4, Midshipmen of the United States Navy assigned by the Navy Department to the 

 temporary service of the National Museum. 



Now. 3, Smithsonian Institution made a co-partner in the administration of a beneficiary 

 trust of a million dollars by Reverend Alexander G. Mercer, of Newport, 

 Rhode Island, a Board being constituted of the Presidents of Harvard College, 

 and Yale College, and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, with three 

 other individuals, to establish scholarships in such colleges as they may select 

 for the education of " such poor students as have passed through public schools 

 with the best reputation for character and ability." 



1883 



Jan. 10, System of telegraphic announcement of astronomical discoveries inaugurated by 



the Institution in 1873 transferred to Harvard College Observatory. 

 March j, Congress appropriated $50,000 to reconstruct in a fire-proof manner the eastern 



portion of the Smithsonian building. 

 April iq, Bronze statue of Joseph Henry erected in the Smithsonian grounds by order 



of Congress, unveiled. 



May i to Nov. i, National Museum participated in International Fisheries Exhibit in London. 

 May 79, Washington relics transferred from Patent Office to National Museum. 

 July i, Publication of the Bulletin and Proceedings of the National Museum discontinued 



as parts of the series of" Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections," and ordered 



to be carried on independently. 

 July 23, Electric lighting introduced in Museum. 



