PROCEEDINGS OF REGENTS. 113 
the exhibition portions of the Smithsonian Building and the Industrial Arts 
Building of the Nuseum. 
It is with regret that I record the death of a member of the committee, 
Senator Stone, which occurred April 14, 1918. Upon learning that Senator 
Thomas had been appointed as a regent to succeed him, I invited the latter 
to take Senator Stone’s place upon the committee. 
Respectfully submitted. 
HENRY WHITE, Chairman. 
On motion, the report was accepted. 
DEATH OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY RICHARD RATHBUN. 
The secretary announced the death on July 16, 1918, of Dr. Rich- 
ard Rathbun, assistant secretary of the Institution. 
A statement giving an account of Dr. Rathbun’s work and associa- 
tion with the Institution will be found in the annual report of the 
secretary. 
APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT IN CHARGE OF NATIONAL 
MUSEUM. 
The secretary announced that he had appointed Mr. William de 
C. Ravenel as administrative assistant to the secretary in charge of 
the National Museum. 
Mr. Ravenel had been associated with the Museum since 1902 as 
administrative assistant to Dr. Rathbun. He has had unusual 
museum training and experience, both in connection with his duties 
and with all governmental expositions held since 1892, and he has 
been largely instrumental in building up the War Museum which 
is now assuming importance. 
Mr. Ravenel has also been practically in charge of the Arts and 
Industries Museum for some time, and, in view of this, he has also 
been appointed to direct its activities. 
APPOINTMENT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 
The secretary called the attention of the board to the desirability 
of appointing an assistant secretary, and stated that he had selected 
Dr. Charles Greeley Abbot, the Director of the Astrophysical Ob- 
servatory of the Institution. 
Dr. Abbot was appointed an assistant to Secretary Langley in 
1895 as aid acting in charge of the Astrophysical Observatory. He 
was engaged continuously in original researches on solar radiation, 
in cooperation with Mr. Langley up to the time of the latter’s death, 
in 1906, when he assumed the entire charge of that work. 
Dr. Abbot is an astronomer, a mathematician, and a physicist, and 
is forceful, energetic, and effective. He will remain in charge of 
