REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 15 



These publications have had their iniiuence for good in many ways 

 but in addition to this, a library much more than equal in value to the 

 outlay, has through their buying power come into the ])ossession of the 

 nation. 



In addition to all this, a large amount of material has been acquired 

 for the Museum by direct expenditure from the private fund of the 

 Smithsonian Institution. The value of the collections thus acquired is 

 estimated to be more than equal to the whole amount of the Smithson 

 bequest. 



The early history of the Museum was much like that of the library. 

 It was not until 1858 that it became the authorized depository of the 

 scientific collections of the Government, and it was not until after 1876 

 that it was officially recognized as the National Museum of the United 

 States. 



But for the provident forethought of the Smithsonian Institution, the 

 United States would probably still be without even a reputable nucleus 

 for a National Museum. 



The relations of the Museum to the system of popular lectures, for 

 many years established in Washington, and the assistance which it 

 affords each year to students of science, is referred to elsewhere in this 

 report. 



The Institution publishes many circulars giving information on scien- 

 tific subjects which are distributed gratuitously to those who write to 

 make inquiries, and this system is being continually extended. In ad- 

 dition to this, a large correspondence is carried on with people in search 

 of information on scientific topics. Probably three thousand letters a 

 year go out to people who write seeking to know the name of some 

 object, or other scientific fact.* Inquiries of this kind are always an- 

 swered promptly and fully, and frequently, to intelligent inquirers, 

 books are sent, which will enable them to find out such names for them- 

 selves in future. This work has not only an educational value but often 

 a great economic importance as well; as, for instance, when some com- 

 mon mineral has been mistaken for one of value, some useless plant 

 has been wrongly identified and supposed to be of service in medicine, 

 or some harmless animal feared as noxious. 



The publications of the Institution and its dependencies reach every 

 State and almost every county in the United States. A careful study 

 of the subject recently made by the president of one of the scientific 

 societies in Washington seems to indicate that there are several States 

 which are reached by no scientific publications whatever except those 

 distributed gratuitously by the Government= 



Speaking of the Smithsonian Institution proper, and not of the Mu- 

 seum or any other trust that it administers, it may be stated that noth- 

 ing conld be so desirable for the Institution as that Congress should ex- 

 amine for itself whether, on the whole, in the execution of the trust of 

 Bmithson, more has been given to the Government than has been re^ 



* See statement on page 58. 



