REPORT OF NATIONAL, MUSEUM, 1925 89 



The meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of 

 Science at Toronto brought various British scientists to AVashing- 

 ton. Among these were Dr. F. A. Bather and Dr. L. J. Spencer, 

 of the British Museum ; Dr. George Hickling of Armstrong College, 

 Newcastle-on-Tyne, England ; and Dr. John L. Flett, director of the 

 British Geological Survey, all of whom were interested in our mu- 

 seum methods. Other foreigners more particuarly interested in 

 studying certain of the collections included Dr. Othenio Abel and 

 Dr. Kurt Ehrenberg, University of Vienna; Dr. Christian Poulsen 

 of the Mineralogical Museum, Copenhagen; Dr. F. Shaffer, director 

 of the Vienna Museum ; Dr. G. D. Pritchard of the Melbourne Tech- 

 nical School; and Dr. Peter Sushkin, of Leningrad, Russia. 



In addition to these, representatives of many of the universities 

 and museums in the United States were visiting students for brief 

 periods. 



About 50 members of the Monumental Granite Association, meet- 

 ing in convention in Washington, visited the department, being 

 particularly interested in the building stone collection and in the 

 minerals making up the granites. • 



As usual no small amount of research has been necessary in order 

 to answer inquiries of correspondents and visitors, and to report 

 on materials. Within the year, 485 letters have passed through 

 the head curator's office, and 393 lots of materials were received 

 for examination and report. It may not be out of place here to 

 add that the amount of time expended in research either in answer- 

 ing these letters or in determination of the materials is little realized 

 by one not actually engaged in the work. Long experience has 

 shown the advisability of giving careful consideration to all these 

 requests. This is not merely because the applicant is entitled to it, 

 but because of the danger of bringing disrepute upon the institu- 

 tion through sending a report even capable of being misconstrued. 

 As an example : Not so very long ago a mineral was submitted 

 which, on examination, was found to contain a certain percentage 

 of the element tantalum, but for which, on account of its method 

 of combination and other reasons, there was no demand and was 

 valueless. Nevertheless, the enterprising sender estimated, most 

 liberally, the amount of the ore underlying the area and the amount 

 in tons of the element it would carry, gained from some unknown 

 source the commercial A^alue of tantalum, and proceeded to broad- 

 cast through the newspapers the enormous wealth and value of his 

 properties, which were, in fact, quite valueless. It is found neces- 

 sary not infrequently to say not merely what a thing is, but what 

 it is not as well, and this requires time. 



