REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



BUILDINGS. 



On a subsequent page I again call attention to the excessively over- 

 crowded condition of the National Museum building and to the neces- 

 sity of continuing the use of several wooden sheds adjacent to the 

 Smithsonian building for storage purposes, constituting a constant 

 menace to the safety of the main building and its contents. I can give 

 no more adequate idea of the real danger from fire that here exists than 

 by stating that no insurance company was found willing to place insur- 

 ance upon these sheds or their contents at less than ten times the ordi- 

 nary rates. The provision made by the last Congress for rent of addi 

 tional storage rooms proves inadequate for the needs of the Museum, 

 as I have represented elsewhere. 



REPAIRS TO THE SMITHSONIAN BUILDING. 



In continuing much needed improvements in the east wing of the 

 Smithsonian building, especially with a view to better light and venti- 

 lation, the lighting of the rooms on the first floor occupied by the 

 library, has been greatly improved by enlarging the window frames and 

 replacing the small diamond panes by single sheets of glass. Similar 

 changes have been made in the Secretary's office, on the second floor, as 

 well as in some of the rooms on the third and fourth floors. Several 

 rooms on the fourth floor, heretofore of no use except for storage, have 

 been made habitable and have proved useful for various needed pur- 

 poses. 



The sanitary condition of the building has been improved by the 

 removal of certain objectionable features and by the installation of a 

 comprehensive system of ventilation by which pure air at an equable 

 temperature is assured in most of the office rooms. Work upon this 

 was well advanced at the close of the year. 



Another great improvement added during the year is the introduc- 

 tion of electric lights in all the offices of the east wing, the electric 

 power being supplied by a special plant, which, with the ventilating 

 apparatus, has been placed in the basement of the south tower, where 

 considerable changes were made for their accommodation. 



For the proper heating and ventilation of the Astro-physical Observa- 

 tory a dry-air duct has been built connecting the observatory with 

 the systems of the main building. 



These minor repairs which I have thus briefly mentioned have made 

 the rooms of the east wing much better adapted to use as offices. 



RESEARCH. 



In pursuance of what appears to be an essential portion of the origi- 

 nal plan for the organization of the Institution, that its secretary 

 should be expected to personally contribute to the advancement of 

 knowledge, whether in letters or in science, I have given such time as 



