EEPORT OF THE SECKETARY. 27 



A full set of the publications of the Institution has been presented to the 

 University of Yedo, and arrangements made with it for obtaining - meteoro- 

 logical observations and specimens of archaeology and natural history. 

 A special request was made by the Institution in behalf of the Jap- 

 anese Minister, Mr. Mori, of *the principal publishers of school-books in 

 the United States for such of their publications on education as they 

 might see fit to present for examination to the Japanese commission. 

 In response to this application acknowledgments are due, for liberal 

 donations, to the following publishers : D. Appleton & Co. ; A. S. 

 Barnes & Co. ; Brewer & Tileston ; E. H. Butler & Co. ; Claxton, 

 Bemsen & Haffelfinger; E. S. Davis & Co.; Eldredge & Bro. ; W. 

 S. Fortescue ; Harper Bros. ; Holt & Williams ; Houghton & Co. ; 

 Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor & Co.; J. B. Lippincott & Co.; Henry C. 

 Lea; G. & C. Merriam; Murphy & Co.; Oakley, Mason & Co.; J. W. 

 Schermerhorn & Co. ; C. Scribner & Co. ; Sheldon & Co. ; Sower, Barnes 

 & Potts; Thompson, Bigelow & Brown; University Publishing Com- 

 pany ; Wilson, Hinkle & Co. ; Woolworth, Ainsworth & Co. 



While the Smithsonian Institution occupies ground otherwise uncul- 

 tivated, it has been its policy from the beginiug to co-operate with all 

 other institutions in advancing science and promoting education. There 

 must always exist objects of importance for the promotion of which 

 -appropriations cannot be immediately obtained from Congress, 

 and which, without aid, cannot be properly prosecuted. In England 

 such objects to a limited extent are assisted by funds derived from 

 the subscription list of members of the British Association, and by an 

 annual grant from the government to the Boyal Society. These appro- 

 priations, though producing important results, are far from being ade- 

 quate to the solution of problems, the number and variety of which 

 are constantly increasing. When we consider the intimate connection 

 of a knowledge of abstract science with modern civilization, the effect 

 which it has had in substituting the powers of nature for slave labor, in 

 the disc o very of laws a knowledge of which enables man to predict, and in 

 many ca ses to control, the future, it must be evident that nothing can 

 better mark the high intelligence of a people than the facilities which they 

 afford and the means they provide for promoting investigations in this line. 

 It is a matter of surprise, however, that so imperfectly is the import- 

 ance of abstract science appreciated by the public generally, that un- 

 less it be immediately applied to some practical purpose in the arts it 

 is almost entirely disregarded. 



NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



I An appropriation during the last two years has been made by Con- 

 gress of $20,000 for the reconstruction of parts of the building destroyed 

 by the fire, and the fitting up of rooms for the better accommodation of 

 the National Museum. This sum, together with about $9,000 from the 



