1046 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 
Spencer F. Baird during his administration of the office of Commis- 
sioner of Fish and Fisheries, from February 25, 1871, to the time of 
his death, in August, 1887. 
Mr. Epmunps. This is not a claimant’s bill, but is a bill to provide 
for paying the widow of the late Professor Baird for about sixteen 
years of gratuitous service that he performed as Commissioner of 
Fish and Fisheries. I move that the bill be referred to the Commit- 
tee on Appropriations, who have been familiar with the subject and 
made appropriations for it, and I hope that they will report upon it 
very early, indeed, as I believe it myself to be a very meritorious and 
just bill. 
Referred to Committee on Appropriations. 
January 12, 1888.—House. 
The first bill on the Calendar was read, as follows: 
A bill! (S. 261) to amend the law concerning the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries. 
Be it enacted, etc., That section 4395 of the Revised Statutes ce the United States be, 
and the same is ee amended to read as follows: 
‘‘That there shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and con- 
sent of the Senate, a person of scientific and practical acquaintance with the fish and 
fisheries to be a Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, and he shall receive a salary of 
$5,000 a year, and he shall be removable at the pleasure of the President. Said 
Commissioner shall not hold any other office or employment under the authority of 
the United States or any State.”’ 
The report (by Mr. PoiInpExTER Dunn) was read, as follows: 
The Committee on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries, to whom was referred the 
bill (S. 261) entitled ‘‘An act to amend the law concerning the Commissioner of 
Fish and Fisheries,’’ have considered the same, and report it back to the House 
without amendment and recommend its passage without delay. 
The United States Fish Commission was established by act of February 9, 1871, 
which provided for the appointment by the President, with the consent of the Sen- 
ate, of a Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries from among the civil officers or 
employees of the Government, who shall serve without additional salary. The act 
contemplated simply an investigation, ‘‘ with the view of ascertaining whether any, 
and what, diminution in the number of food-fishes’’ had taken place, and also what 
‘* protective, prohibitory, or precautionary measures should be adopted, and report 
upon the same to Congress.”’ 
The act of March 3 of the same year to provide for deficiencies, etc., appropriated 
$5,000 for the expenses of the inquiry ordered. 
Prof. Spencer F. Baird, then assistant secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 
and an employee of the Government, he having charge of the National Museum, was 
appointed Commissioner. He prosecuted the inquiries with so much zeal, energy, 
and ability that the act of 1871 was reenacted, and the deficiency bill of May 18, 
1872, made an additional appropriation of $3,500 to continue the inquiry and $500 
for the preparation of illustrations, tables, and report. 
So impressed was Congress with the wisdom of Professor Baird’s recommenda- 
tions, based on the investigations he had made into the condition of our fisheries, 
that the act of June 10, 1872, contained an appropriation of $5,000 to continue those 
1The bill (S. 261) passed Senate on December 21, 1887. 
