REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 3 



all the departments has advanced in an orderly and systematic 

 fashion. 



Although the new Museum building is intended primarily for the 

 exhibition of natural-history specimens, the main floor of the large 

 central hall has been temporarily given up to the exhibition of the 

 collections of paintings belonging to the National Gallery of Art. 

 It is to be noted in this connection that Mr. William T. Evans has 

 presented 137 paintings illustrating the work of 100 American artists. 

 This extremely valuable collection should in due time be housed in a 

 suitable art gallery, with other valuable collections of this character 

 belonging to the Government. The details of the development of the 

 Museum system and accessions made to the collections will be found 

 in the report of the assistant secretary in charge of the Museum. 



As I have stated in previous reports, I believe it desirable to estab- 

 lish a number of research associateships similar to the Harriman 

 trust fund, whereby especially capable men in the several branches of 

 science may be afforded opportunities for research work without the 

 care and burden of administrative duties, and with full assurance 

 that as long as their work is properly conducted it will be continued, 

 and that provision will be made for them when incapacitated for 

 active service. The field for scientific investigation is extensive, and 

 there are numbers of worthy projects that can not now be under- 

 taken because of lack of means — projects that could not properly be 

 carried on through Government appropriation, but which the Smith- 

 sonian Institution could readily undertake were the means available. 



In this connection I would call attention to the organization of a 

 Research Corporation in which the Institution is particularly in- 

 terested. 



Research Corporation. — Dr. Frederick G. Cottrell, of the United 

 States Bureau of Mines, having generously offered to present to the 

 Smithsonian Institution a valuable set of patents relating to the elec- 

 trical precipitation of dust, smoke, and chemical fumes, it seemed to 

 the Regents advisable, for various reasons incident to the business 

 management of the patents, that there be organized a stock corpora- 

 tion which could take title to the patents and in which the Institu- 

 tion should be indirectly represented by the secretary as an indi- 

 vidual, and not in his capacity as secretary. The recommendation 

 of the Ilegents being acceptable to Dr. Cottrell, the Research Cor- 

 poration of New York was accordingly organized and incorporated 

 by certificate executed February 16, 1912, filed in the office of the 

 secretanr of state of New York February 26, 1912, and in the office 

 of the clerk of the county of New York February 27, 1912. 



The objects of the Research Corporation are explained in the fol- 

 lowing circular : 



