1G REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



combustion directly into the chimney, from which it was only separated 

 by the thickness of a single brick. For what reason it had not been 

 placed in the middle between the two windows is unknown. It is 

 remembered that some ten years previous to the fire this opening 

 was, during several weeks, used for the insertion of a stove pipe, 

 without suspicion of accident at the time; but in the interval the 

 wood had undergone a process of drying which rendered it more 

 combustible. 



Constantly impressed with the fact that the interior of the two 

 wings and the connecting ranges were constructed, of combustible 

 material, I have always felt great anxiety on account of the liability 

 to conflagration of these parts of the building. The rest of the edi- 

 fice, with the exception of the interior of the towers, was supposed 

 to be secure from injury of this nature. A night watch was con- 

 stantly kept, barrels and buckets filled with water were placed at 

 suitable points, and strict rules were adopted prohibiting the carry- 

 ing of exposed lights, as well as the practice of smoking, in any part 

 of the edifice. That these precautions were unavailing has been 

 seen; the fire having been communicated at a point where danger 

 was least suspected, and in a manner which rendered its occurrence 

 sooner or later almost inevitable. 



The weather at the time was extremely cold, and before the engines 

 could be brought into operation the whole of the roof was in flames. 

 Commencing at the west end of the centre building, the flames 

 were driven by the wind, which blew from that direction, east- 

 wardly, and fortunately away from the library, in the west wing. 

 The destruction of the roof of the main building involved that of 

 the contents of the rooms immediately beneath it, and also those of 

 the three principal towers adjacent. In the former were the Indian 

 portrait gallery, the lecture room, and the apparatus room. The first 

 of these contained the large collection of paintings by Mr. Stanley 

 and a series of Indian portraits belonging to the government. The 

 lecture room was constructed on acoustic and optical principles, and 

 not only answered perfectly the ends for which it was immediately 

 intended, but had served also as a model for lecture rooms in various 

 parts of the country. The apparatus room contained the principal 

 part of the articles presented by the late Dr. Robert Hare, and a 

 large number of instruments of recent construction, intended both for 

 illustration and original research. 



The losses in the south tower were, first, the contents of the Regents' 

 room, including the personal effects of Smithson; second, those of a 



