REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



37 



of these valued singly at over $20,000 each. A large proportion, too, of 

 the more desirable exhibits by State commissions, as also of home ex- 

 hibitors, was added to the mass, and nearly two months were spent at 

 the close of the Exhibition in simply removing these articles to the gov- 

 ernment building and there packing them for transportation to Wash- 

 ington, a large force being required for the purpose. 



The collection sent from Washington to Philadelphia filled twenty 

 freight cars, and the donations received at the Centennial required forty 

 more for their transportation, the entire amount to be brought to Wash- 

 ington making sixty car-loads, a quantity far beyond the storage capac- 

 ity of the basement of the Smithsonian building. 



In anticipation of these donations, Congress had previously authorized 

 the transfer to the Smithsonian Institution, for the purpose of storage, of 

 .the Armory building, on the square between Sixth and Seventh streets, 

 and made an appropriation to fit it up for the reception of the collections. 

 To this building a portion of these collections was transferred, where 

 they now fill four floors, of about 5,000 square feet eacb, from top to 

 bottom, the remainder being stored in the basement of the Smithsonian 

 Institution. At present, with the articles received from other sources, 

 it is estimated that the quantity of objects not exhibited represents 

 nearly five times the bulk of those at present displayed in the Smithson- 

 ian building. 



It is to be understood, too, that these objects are not simply specimens 

 of natural history, possessing an abstract interest to the student, but 

 represent the application of natural objects to the industries, and as 

 such are of great importance. In what is now a fairly complete series 

 of economical minerals, such as ores, combustibles, building stones, 

 clays, earths, &c, from all parts of the world, with their incidentals of 

 reduction and application, and specimens of similar objects of art and 

 industry derived from them, we have a collection of very great indus- 

 trial importance, for it furnishes to the American manufacturer and de- 

 signer information of the utmost value. The illustrations of means and 

 appliances for the pursuit, capture, and application of food-fishes, from 

 all parts of the world, are also of exceeding value, while the articles of 

 Indian manufacture from Alaska, Washington Territory, and the Pry- 

 bilov Islands are of the utmost interest. 



Several donations from foreign countries are of considerable magnitude 

 and importance ; the first being from the King of Siam as a present to 

 the United States Government; the second the display of the manners 

 and customs of the Chinese made by the Chinese Commissioner; the 

 third an exhibition of the industries illustrating the manners and cus- 

 toms of the Japanese, presented by the Japanese Government. The 

 intrinsic value of all these objects presented to the United States is very 

 great, having probably cost their respective contributors, either govern- 

 ments or individuals, not far from three-quarters of a million to a million 

 of dollars. 



