20 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890 



GROWTH OF THE COLLECTIONS. 



The accession records on June 30, 1890, showed 23,340 entries, rep- 

 resenting an estimated total of nearly 3,000,000 specimens. Of this 

 number, 13,45L accessions have been received since 1881. The average 

 number of entries of accessions received annually between 1881 and 

 1890 has been 1,495. 



VISITORS TO THE MUSEUM. 



The total number of visitors to the National Museum up to June 30, 

 1890, since the opening of the Museum building in 1881, is 2,111,949. 



SATURDAY LECTURES. 



The first lecture of the first series of these lectures was given on 

 March 11, 1882. In all, 103 lectures have been delivered in nine courses, 

 the date of the last being April 3, 1890. 



MUSEUM APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1890-1891. 



For preservation of collection $140, 000 



For furniture aucl fixtures 25, 000 



For heating and lighting 12,000 



For printing and binding 10, 000 



For postage stamps, etc 500 



Total : 187,500 



THE HISTORY OF ENGINEERING. 



At the Annual Convention of the American Society of Civil Engi- 

 neers, held at Seabright, New Jersey, June 20-26, the following pream- 

 ble and resolution were unanimously adopted: 



Whereas the authorities of the Smithsonian Institution have established in the 

 National Museum at Washington a department devoted to the preservation of the 

 history of American engineering science — 



Resolved, That the American Society of Civil Eugineers hereby expresses its grati- 

 fication at the establishment by the Smithsonian Institution, with the authority of 

 the General Government, of a department in the National Museum for the preserva- 

 tion of objects of interest bearing upon the history of American engineering, and 

 recommends that American engineers cooperate with the Smithsonian Institution in 

 furthering the objects for which the Department of Engineering has been established. 



Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to the Secretary of the Smithsonian 

 Institution and to the Curator of the Engineering Department of the National Mu- 

 seum. 



