REPORT OF PROFESSOR BAIRD, 



SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, FOR 1878, 



To the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution : 



Gentlemen : I have the honor herewith to present the report of the 

 operations and condition of the Smithsonian Institution for the year 

 1878. 



The most important event during that time, and, indeed, in the history 

 of the establishment, is the death of Professor Henry, its lamented Sec- 

 retary, to whom was intrusted its organization in 1846, and under whose 

 firm and judicious direction it has been carried safely forward, surmount- 

 ing in its progress many obstacles and trials, to its present condition of 

 efficiency and prosperity. 



It is difficult to overestimate the importance to science and humanity 

 of the administration of Professor Henry in chis connection. It was a 

 mere chance that the right man for the place would be selected, and 

 whether any other of the candidates would have done equally well it is, 

 of course, impossible to say. It is very certain, however, that the chances 

 would have been adverse to such a result. The most logical methods 

 of operation and research, the strictest economy of administration, the 

 restriction of the Institution to its legitimate functions in the increase 

 and diffusion of knowledge among men, and the avoidance of all en- 

 tangling alliances of every kind, signally characterized the administra- 

 tion of affairs by Professor Henry for the long period of nearly one third 

 of a century. This time sufficed to impress upon the Institution a defi- 

 nite policy, and one which will, I trust, be permanent. It will certainly 

 be my endeavor, as the successor of Professor Henry, to carry out his 

 principles during whatever period Providence and your good-will may 

 grant me the direction of affairs. 



The characteristics of the policy adopted by Professor Henry at the 

 beginning of his administration, and sanctioned by the Board of Regents, 

 were, first, never to attempt to do with the funds and appliances of the In- 

 stitution what could equally well be done by other appropriate agencies ; 

 secondly, to attempt nothing which might not strictly be considered as 

 coming within the department of science, theoretical or applied ; thirdly, 

 to keep all expenditures within the income of the Institution, and never 

 to allow the operations of one year to be hampered by indebtedness 

 carried over from the preceding; and, finally, not to restrict the opera- 

 tions of the institution to Washington, or even to the United States j 

 but to extend its benefits to the whole world, in view of the proper inter- 



