476 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 429. 



appreciation of those whom I have been privi- 

 leged to lead in the early paths of truth. I 

 can not express all that I vrould. I hope that 

 you will take my wish in place of my in- 

 ability." 



THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



The board of regents of the Smithsonian 

 Institution held an adjourned meeting on the 

 morning of March 12, all the members being 

 present with the exception of Senator CuUom, 

 President Angell, Mr. Olney and Dr. White. 



The chancellor, the chief justice of the 

 United States, reported on behalf of the com- 

 mittee appointed at the last meeting of the 

 board, to consider the whole subject of defi- 

 ning the powers and duties of the executive 

 committee. Two meetings of the committee 

 had been held, but two members. Senator 

 CuUom and Eepresentative Dinsmore, had 

 been unable to attend, and the other members 

 of the committee, considering the importance 

 of the subject entrusted to their consideration, 

 would not take the responsibility of making 

 a report unless the matter could be considered 

 by the full committee. The chief justice ex- 

 pressed the opinion, however, that the com- 

 mittee realized that under present arrange- 

 ments too little time was afforded the regents 

 for the consideration and discussion of the 

 important matters entrusted to their care. 

 He thought that there should be more fre- 

 quent meetings of the board of regents, and 

 regular and stated meetings of the executive 

 committee. Senator Piatt and Eepresentative 

 Adams of the committee agreed with him in 

 this, and Representative Adams offered a reso- 

 lution providing for three meetings of the 

 board of regents each year: One, the annual 

 meeting in January, for the transaction of the 

 usual routine business, and the others — one 

 on the sixth of December, and one on the Tues- 

 day following the first Monday in March — 

 for the discussion of the affairs of the institu- 

 tion, and for a free interchange of views 

 among the members. This resolution was 

 passed unanimously. 



In the discussion the opinion was very gen- 

 erally expressed that the executive committee 

 also should hold more frequent meetings, and 



that they should have regular and stated meet- 

 ings for the discussion of the affairs of the 

 institution, but the members thought that the 

 executive committee should provide for its 

 own meetings, and that this was not a matter 

 calling for the action of the board. 



The members also very generally expressed 

 the opinion that the board was not ready to 

 define the powers and duties of the executive 

 committee — that this demanded careful con- 

 sideration and an examination of the organiza- 

 tion, and of the United States statutes refer- 

 ring to it. It was therefore moved that the 

 committee be continued and that it should 

 make a report upon the subject at the next 

 meeting of the board which will be on De- 

 cember 6, unless this should fall upon a Sun- 

 day, in which case the meeting will be on 

 Monday following. This resolution was passed 

 by the board, and it is understood that in ac- 

 cordance with the suggestion of Judge Gray 

 the secretary will prepare for the use of the 

 board, a pamphlet containing references to all 

 the United States statutes referring to the 

 institution and its allied bureaus. 



The subject of the new building for the 

 National Museum came up for consideration. 

 Congress has appropriated the sum of three 

 millions and a half dollars for a new build- 

 ing for the National Museum, and the making 

 of contracts, etc., for the erection of the 

 building has been placed by congress in the 

 hands of Mr. Bernard R. Green. Action was 

 taken looking to the beginning of immediate 

 work upon the new museum building, author- 

 izing the secretary with the advice and con- 

 sent of the chancellor, and the chairman of 

 the executive committee, to arrange with Mr. 

 Bernard R. Green in reference to carrying out 

 the act of congress. 



The question of the management of the 

 government bureaus in charge of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution and the policy of the in- 

 stitution towards these bureaus then came up 

 for discussion. Dr. Bell recommended a re- 

 turn to the policy of the first secretary. Pro- 

 fessor Henry, and urged the importance of 

 granting autonomy to each bureau. He stated 

 that it was the duty of the regents to consider 



