12 [Senate 



The youths of public and private schools have also attended, and 

 heard the explanations of the scientific Professors, and thus laid a 

 lasting foundation for an accurate understanding of that ennobling 

 science, the science of Astronomy. 



It has been a favorite object of the Institute for some time past, to 

 establish a Reading-room, embracing the leading periodicals, and 

 other publications relating to the latest improvements of this country 

 and some of the principal kingdoms of Europe: to be open at all 

 times free to strangers visiting our city. The continual inquiries 

 made for publications of this description at the Repository, first sug- 

 gested the propriety and utility of such an establishment. It was 

 ascertained, by extending a floor across from the side galleries of the 

 Repository, heretofore rented of the city corporation at a rent of four 

 hundred dollars per annum, that a large, convenient, and well adapted 

 room might be provided, central and every way calculated for the 

 purpose, A petition was presented to the Mayor and Common 

 Council of the city, for the privilege of fitting up and occupying the 

 room and its appurtenances for the purpose of a Reading-room, for 

 ten years free of rent. It was referred to a standing committee of 

 both boards, and after a full hearing a joint committee composed of 

 the standing committees of the two boards, reported in its favor, as 

 follows : 



" The Joint Committee on Public Offices and Repairs, to whom 

 was referred the petition of the Trustees of the American Institute, 

 for a lease of ten years of the ' room and appurtenances now occu- 

 pied by them,' would respectfully present the following Report: 



That a special committee of the American Institute appeared be- 

 fore your committee in reference to their application, who represented 

 fully and at large the manifold advantages already resulting from the 

 well directed efforts of the Institute, for the protection and encour- 

 agement of American Industry. 



Indeed, your committee are satisfied that the claims of this insti- 

 tution are such as deserve general and universal encouragement, while 

 they feel impressed with the belief that an association, extending, as 

 this does, its benefits and influence to every quarter of our widely 

 spread territory, at once gladdening the heart and sustaining the arm 

 of ingenuity and enterprise, recommends itself to the interests of our 



