6 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



Honored by the Board in being selected to succeed Professor Henry, 

 it was with the greatest diffidence, and with an unaffected distrust in my 

 ability to administer worthily the operations of the Institution, that I 

 accepted the trust. Animated by a desire to secure the continuance 

 of the wise policy inaugurated and maintained by Professor Henry, — 

 by a consciousness of familiarity with the varied duties required, — and 

 by a natural sympathy of purpose resulting from a long association with 

 him — holding steadily before me his example — I venture upon the ex- 

 periment; hoping only that the contrast of the present administration 

 of the Institution with that of the past will not be too unfavorably marked. 



I may, perhaps, be pardoned for calling attention to the fact that my 

 own connection with the Institution and association with Professor 

 Henry dates back to the year 1S50, and that consequently, for more than 

 twenty-eight years, I have been engaged in carrying out the. principles 

 established by the late Secretary, and that the details of administration, 

 and the general plans of operation, aie consequently not unfamiliar to 

 me. My association has indeed been, indirectly, longer than the time 

 mentioned, since as early as 1848 I visited Professor Henry, and was en- 

 gaged by him to carry out certain researches in reference ...to the natural 

 history of Pennsylvania, aided by a grant of money from the funds of 

 the Institution, for the purpose. 



Although the fact of the death of Professor Henry was promptly 

 spread over the United States and transmitted throughout the Old 

 World by means of the telegraph, it was thought proper, in accordance 

 with the usage of similar establishments, to make a formal announce- 

 ment by a circular letter, addressed to the foreign correspondents of the 

 Institution. A circular was accordingly prepared in the name of the 

 Chancellor and widely distributed. This has elicited a great number of 

 responses, containing gratifying expressions of condolence and sympathy. 



The regular session of the Board of Eegents for the winter of 1877 

 was held in January, 1878, at which time the report for 1877 was pre- 

 sented by Professor Henry and approved. An extra meeting was called 

 on the 17th of May, on the day after Professor Henry's funeral, at which 

 an election of his successor took place, and arrangements were made for 

 a proper eulogy and the memorial meeting in January, 1879. 



The law of Congress establishing and organizing the Smithsonian 

 Institution makes no provision for the discharge of the duties of the 

 chief officer by any person other than the Secretary ; and as no bills for 

 services, for salaries, labor, supplies, &c, can be paid without his 

 indorsement, the disability or death of the Secretary during the recess 

 of the meetings of the Board is likely to involve very serious difficulties. 

 For the purpose of providing for this contingency, Senator Hamlin, a 

 Regent of the Institution, has introduced a joint resolution into the 

 Senate, providing that in case of the death, disability, or absence of the 

 Secretary, the Chancellor be empowered to appoint some one to discharge 



