[211] 6 



of its legislation, and cause thein to be substantially bound, as a com- 

 mencement of its library. 



William Archer, architect, of the city of Washington, presented to the 

 board a plan and drawings for a buildinij for the institution, together with 

 specifications and estimates of cost, &c. ; which were referred to the 

 Gommittee on Buildings. 



And then the board adjourned uniil the last Monday in November next. 



MONDAY, November 30, 1846. 



Agreeably to their adjournment on the 9th day of September last, a 

 mBetmg of the regents of the Smithsonian Institution was held at the 

 room of the Vice President of the United States, in the Capitol. 



George M. Dallas, the Chancellor, (and one of the regents^) and the 

 following regents, appeared, viz: William W. Seaton, Isaac S. Penny- 

 backer, Sidney Breese, Robert Dale Owen, William J. Hough, Henry W. 

 Hilliard, Pachard Rush, Gideon Hawley, Alexander Dallas Bache, and 

 Joseph G. Totten. 



Messrs. Hough, Seaton, Totten, Rush, and the Chancellor, each pre- 

 sented sundry letters, recommendations, (fee, relative to applications for 

 the office of secretary of the institution ; which were severally placed 

 upon file for future consideration. 



The Chancellor, from the committee appointed at the last session of 

 the Board of Regents " to obtain plans for the erection of buildings," to 

 consider as to materials, the warming and lighting the buildings, &c., 

 made the following report, accompanied by sundry letters from Mr. David 

 Dale Owen and Professors Silliman and Fouder, in relation to the selec- 

 tion of material for the erection of the institution building. 



The undersigned, a committee appointed by the board at its session on 

 the 9th of September last, respec^tfully report: 



In order " to obtain plans for the erection of buildings," to form some 

 judgment '^in regard to the best material for said buildings," and to as- 

 certain " the best modes of warming, lighting, aud ventilating the same." 

 the committee took the following measures. 



. Wilh a view to give, as extensively and rapidly as possible, notice to 

 the architects of the country of the objects and duties of the committee, 

 the resolution by which they were constituted was published in the 

 newspapers of this city on the 22d day of Septetriber, 1S46. 



The shortness of time, however, rendering it probable that no satisfac- 

 tory communications would be received froin architects before the present 

 meeting of the hoard, the committee entered upon a tour of personal in- 

 spection, hoping to accumulate information that might guide the board 

 in the choice of a plan for building; and Mr. Owen, Mr. Hough, and 

 Col. Totten visited our principal cities, examined many if not ail of their 

 moat noted structures, had conferences with several of their architects 

 eminent for science and success, collected specimens of the best stone 

 material, and obtained data upon which to '-estimate the cost of the 

 contemplated building when constructed of different m.aterials." 



Af, the city of Philaddphia^ the Girard College, the Eastern Peniten- 

 tiary, the House of Refuge, the hall of the Mercantile Library Company, 

 the Exchange, the Custom-house, (formerly the Bank of the United 

 States,) and the Athenasum, now being built, were visited. ■ 



