THE NATIONAL MUSEUM 413 
P. Blake and Mr. Thomas Donaldson, he thoroughly 
canvassed the Exhibition to see what would be desirable 
among the foreign exhibits for addition to the National 
Museum. With his usual power of interesting others in 
the objects which he had at heart, and with the advantage 
given by the fact that no duty would have to be paid 
on things presented to the National Museum since they 
became the property of the United States Government, 
he succeeded in getting an enormous number of donations 
of great and permanent value. I do not know whether it 
was then or previous to this that, at my father’s request, 
and with his collaboration, Mr. Goode had drawn up 
the first of his remarkable and philosophical schemes for 
a Museum. These, perfect as they were simply from a 
theoretical point of view, had from Mr. Goode’s practical 
knowledge of the matter, nothing which was not perfectly 
practicable and have most justly given Mr. Goode the rep- 
utation of having carried the Museum idea to the highest 
point of efficiency. At any rate, the material then collected 
was of great importance in supplying many deficiencies 
which would otherwise have been very difficult to fill.” 
With universal popular approval behind him Baird 
had little difficulty, when the unexpected happened and 
the government loan to the Exposition was repaid, in 
persuading the Appropriations Committee to redeem its 
pledge. This did not happen, however, until some two 
years after the Exposition closed. 
With the practical experience of General M. C. Meigs ? 
* Montgomery Cunningham Meigs, Major Gen’l. U.S. A. Born 
at Augusta, Georgia, May 3, 1816; died at Washington, Jan. 2, 1892. 
Quartermaster General U.S. A. during the Civil War. A distinguished 
engineer officer, associated in the designs for the National Museum 
building of 1880 and a valued friend of Baird. 
