REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



THE BOARD OF REGENTS. 



In accordance with a resolution of the Board of Regents adopted 

 January 8, 1890, by which its annual meeting occurs on the fourth 

 Wednesday of each year, the Board met on January 22, 1896, at 10 

 o'clock a. m. The journal of its proceedings will be found, as hitherto, 

 in tlie annual report of the Board to Congress, though reference is 

 made later on in this report to several matters upon which action was 

 taken at that meeting. 



On December 18, 1895, Senator S. M. Cullora, of Illinois, was reap- 

 pointed Begent by the President of the Senate, and on December 20, 

 1895, the Speaker of the House reappointed Hon. Joseph Wheeler, of 

 Alabama, and Hon. R. R. Hitt, of Illinois, and appointed Hon. Robert 

 Adams, jr., of Pennsylvania. Hon. William L. Wilson, of West Vir- 

 ginia, a former Regent, was again appointed by joint resolution of Con- 

 gress, approved by the President January 14, 1896, as successor to the 

 late Dr. Coppee. 



The Board elected Hon. William L. Wilson and Hon. Gardiner G. 

 Hubbard as members of the executive committee, with Hon. J. B. Hen- 

 derson as chairman. 



Formal action in memory of Dr. Coppee, who died on March 21, 1895, 

 was taken by the Regents at the above meeting, when the following 

 resolutions were unanimously adopted: 



Whereas the members of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian 

 Institution are called to mourn the death of their colleague, the late 

 Henry Coppee, LL.D., acting president of Lehigh University, for 

 twenty years a Regent of the Institution, and long a member of its 

 executive committee : 



Resolved, That the Board of Regents feel sincere sorrow in the loss 

 of one whose distinguished career as a soldier, a man of letters, and 

 whose services in the promotion of education command their highest 

 respect and admiration. 



Resolved, That in the death of Dr. Coppee the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion and the Board of Regents have suffered the loss of a tried and 

 valued friend, a wise and prudent counsellor, whose genial courtesy, 

 well-stored, disciplined mind, and sincere devotion to the interests of 

 the Institution will be ever remembered. 



Resolved., That these resolutions be recorded in the Journal of the 

 Proceedings of the Board, and that the Secretary be requested to send 

 a copy to the family of their departed associate and friend, in token of 

 sympathy in this common affliction. 



ADMINISTRATION. 



I have already remarked that the expenses borne by the Institution 

 incidental to its administration of Government trusts are not spe- 

 cifically provided for by any of the present appropriations, and that I 

 deemed it in the interest of economy that an appropriation be asked to 

 cover these items, which can not be done under their present terms, 

 but no decisive action has as yet been taken in this matter. 



