FIFTIETH CONGRESS, 1887-1889. 1253 
So far, then, from there appearing to be objection, the facts suggest 
to my mind the wisdom and desirability of providing for the National 
Museum directly, and imposing responsibility for the disbursement of 
the appropriation immediately upon the officers of that Institution, 
and with accountability to the Treasury, as in other cases. 
The act of July 7, 1884 (23 Stats., 214), was a step in the direction 
of this independency of requiring the Director of the National Museum 
to report annually to Congress*the progress of the Museum during 
the year and its present condition. 
The papers you kindly loaned me are herewith returned. 
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, 
Wo. F. Vinas, Secretary. 
Prof. S$. P. LANGLEY, 
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 
Washington, February 20, 1888. 
Str: Replying to your favor of the 16th instant, I beg to say that it 
seems to me that so long as Congress has made the appropriation for 
the current year ‘‘under the Interior Department” in terms, it is 
necessary that it should be expended according to the practice hitherto 
prevailing; and that, if the same terms of appropriation should be 
continued, it would be with the expectation that the fixed practice of 
disbursement would continue also. It is therefore probably necessary 
that the language of the appropriation should be changed in order to 
effect the object desired. It may be presumed the accounting officers 
of the Treasury would require it. 
The same observations may be applied to the appropriation for 
printing. I think it desirable that that should be separately made, so 
that the Smithsonian Institution should be independent, in its use of 
the provisions made by Congress, of this Department, and this Depart- 
ment freed of care in respect to it. 
Yours, respectfully, 
Wm. F. Vinas, Secretary. 
Prof. 8. P. LanaLey, 
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 
Wasuineton, May 31, 1888. 
Str: I have just received your message by telephone, requesting a 
copy of the last printed report of the expenditures of the National 
Museum. 
The latest printed report of the duehiben ia Institution covers the 
first six months of the year 1885. 
