COMMITTEES ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT 331 



" Second. That while the consolidation of some of the branches of work now 

 carried on in several organizations is probably advisable, specific recommendations 

 in reference to such consolidation can be made wisely only after a careful con- 

 sideration of all the facts by the board hereinafter suggested or by some similarly 

 competent body. 



" Third. That there has never been hitherto and there is not at present any- 

 thing like a rational correlation of allied branches of scientific work carried on 

 by the Government. 



" This last fact appears to your committee by far the most important one pre- 

 sented for consideration." 183 



It was suggested by the committee that the permanent board 

 referred to above should consist of the heads of the various scien- 

 tific bureaus, two delegates from each house of Congress, and 

 " five to seven eminent men of science not connected with the 

 government service." 



The recommendations of the Academy have not as yet been 

 adopted by Congress. 184 



183 Op. cit., pp. 3, 4- 



184 In the foregoing account of the committees appointed by the Academy at the request 

 of the several branches of the Government, no mention is made of the following, whose 

 work was either of minor importance, or of such a character that its history is not 

 accessible : 



On National currency, 1863 (Confidential). 



On prevention of counterfeiting, 1865 (Confidential). 



On the preservation of army knapsacks, 1868. (Correspondence in the files of the 

 Academy indicates that this committee never reported. The question was one of restoring 

 knapsacks valued at a million dollars, the paint on which had become soft and sticky.) 



On silk culture in the United States, 1870. (See Proc., vol. i, pp. 75, 77, Rep. for 1879, 

 p. n.) 



On the exploration of the Yellowstone region by General Stanley, 1873. 



On distinguishing calf's hair goods from woolen goods, 1875 (Confidential). 



On building stone for the custom house at Chicago, 1878. 



On triangulation connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, 1882. 



The Academy had some correspondence with the Department of the Interior in 1893 

 relative to the appointment of a committee on a conventional standard of color. The 

 committee, however, was not appointed. (See Rep. Nat. Acad. Sci. for 1893, pp. 43-46; 

 also for 1894, p. 7.) 



