Miscellaneous Intelligence. 227 



no better off in number of miles than India, while the amount 

 accomplished in Germany, Great Britain, and Japan is respec- 

 tively 16, 10 6, and 5*2 times greater. In Alaska again nothing 

 has been done, although several thousand miles of leveling are 

 needed at once. It would seem that nothing more than a full 

 understanding of the situation with respect to the limitations of 

 the Survey at present, and the demands upon it for the future, 

 should be needed to insure its receiving adequate appropriations. 



Besides the account of the work of the Survey, covering 

 pp. 130-171 of the Report of the Secretary of Commerce, the 

 Annual Report of the Superintendent, O. H. Tittmann, has also 

 been issued (pp. 132, 16 illustrations), giving a concise statement 

 of the work accomplished dining the } r ear in its special lines, 

 particularly those of hydrography and topography, geodetic and 

 magnetic. Special publications include the following: 



No. 19. — Primary triangulation on the One Hundred and 

 Fourth Meridian, and on the Thirty-ninth Parallel in Colorado, 

 Utah and Nevada ; by William Bowie. Pp. 163 ; 17 illustra- 

 tions. 



No. 22. — Precise Leveling from Brigham, Utah, to San 

 Francisco, California; by William Bowie. Pp. 67; 5 illustrations. 



3. Report of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 Charles D. Walcott, for the year ending June SO, 1914. 

 Pp. 117 ; 4 pis., 1 fig. Washington, 1914.— The activities of the 

 Smithsonian Institution are so varied that the Annual Report by 

 the Secretary, in which the year's work is summarized, is always 

 of much interest. In the direction of researches and explora- 

 tions, one point to be noted is the reopening of the laboratory for 

 the study of the problems of aerodromics, particularly those of aero- 

 dynamics. This laboratory is to be named for Professor Langley, 

 who studied this subject so profoundly and first placed the matter 

 of air flight on a successful basis. As already noted in the public 

 press, his original aeroplane (" aerodrome "), after being refitted, 

 made a successful flight at Lake Keuka in June 1914 in the hands 

 of Mr. Glenn H. Curtiss. Other explorations now being carried 

 on include those by the Secretary at Robson Peak, the geological 

 survey of Panama, etc.; an account of the varied ethnological 

 researches, under the auspices of the Institution, is given in detail 

 in Appendix 2, by F. W. Hodge, ethnologist in charge. 



It is stated that the plans for the " George Washington 

 Memorial Building" have been completed and a plate gives the 

 accepted design. The cost is to be not less than $2,000,000, and 

 $500,000 must be provided for maintenance ; the work of con- 

 struction will not be commenced until a sum of $1,000,000 has 

 been raised. The building is to serve as the gathering place and 

 headquarters of patriotic, scientific, medical, and other organiza- 

 tions interested in promoting the welfare of the American 

 people. 



A detailed account of the work of the National Museum 

 is given in Appendix 1, by Mr. Richard Rathbun ; also a report 



