INTRODUCTORY. XIII 



atives authorizing the participation in the Exhibition on the part of the 

 United States and appropriating the sum of $50,000 for the purpose. 



The Senate haviag concurred in this resolution, preparations were 

 immediately begun under your direction and were carried on with great 

 activity. Most of the officers of the National Museum and Fish Com- 

 mission contributed to the success of the work by their enthusiastic 

 co-operation. Special acknowledgment is due to the persons mentioned 

 in the list on pages 7 and 8, and especially to those iu the list of collabo- 

 rators whose services are recognized as having been of the greatest im- 

 portance. 



On the 20th of February a preliminary exhibition of such materials- 

 as could be conveniently displayed was held in the National Museum, 

 continuing two evenings and two days, and was attended by at least 

 5,000 visitors. 



The work of packing the collections for transmission to London was 

 begun on the 27th of February ; the first shipment of goods was made 

 on the 7th of March, the last on the 14th of April. A satisfactory ar- 

 rangement was made, through the agency of Col. Thomas Donaldson, 

 (1) with the Pennsylvania Eailroad Company for the transmission of 

 the collections to New York, and placing them on board of the steamer; 

 and (2) with Messrs. Pattou, Vickers & Co., agents of the Monarch Line 

 of steamships, hetween New York and London, for reduced freights; 

 the rates given covering the transmission of the collections to London, 

 and back to New York. 



Having, upou your nomination, received from the President the ap- 

 pointment of Commissioner to the Exhibition, the following persons 

 were by you designated as members of my staff to proceed with me to 

 London and to carry on the administrative work connected with the 

 United States section at the Exhibition : Dr. Tarleton H. Bean, Mr. R. 

 Edward Earll, Capt, Joseph W. Collins, Mr. A. Howard Clark, Mr. 

 William V. Cox, Mr. Eeuben Wood, and Capt. H. C. Chester. All of 

 these gentlemen were permanent members, of long standing, of the staff 

 of the Fish Commission and National Museum, excepting Mr. Wood, 

 who was selected to represent the angling interest, being one of the 

 champion fiy-casters of the United States and an expert in all matters 

 relating to fine tackle. In addition to those already named, Lieut. C. H. 

 McLellan, U. S. R. M., was detailed by the Life-Saving Service, Mr. Max 

 Hansmann from the Light-House Board, and Sergeant James Mitchell, 

 U. S. A., from the Signal Office, to accompany and install the collec- 



