THE 
AMERICAN NATURALIST 
VOL: XXXIII. February, 1899. No. 386. 
ON THE PROPOSED UNIVERSITY OF THE UNITED 
STATES AND ITS POSSIBLE RELATIONS TO 
THE SCIENTIFIC BUREAUS OF THE 
GOVERNMENT. 
WILLIAM HEALEY DALL. 
For some years the proposition has been discussed that a 
National University should be established in Washington to 
represent that projected by Washington himself, and for which 
he provided, as he supposed, in his will. The foundation, for 
various reasons, did not materialize, and though one of the 
reservations in the original plat of the capital city was desig- 
nated by Washington as a site for the proposed university, no 
funds being forthcoming, the scheme until lately has remained 
dormant. 
Recently, owing to the interest and enthusiasm of a number 
of friends of education, the scheme has been revived and much 
popular interest expressed ; several bills have been laid before 
Congress, and steps taken toward securing popular subscrip- 
tions, and the use of a site in the District of Columbia, on one ` 
of the public reservations for projected buildings, to be used in 
connection with the work of the university. : 
_ 1 The origi t was afterwards used for the Naval Observatory, 
and has st bese abandoned, partly on account of the prevalence of malara 
97 
