1046 General Notes. 
sible efforts to have placed on the free list, books pertaining to the physi- 
cal, natural and medical sciences, and apparatus intended for purposes of 
scientific research or of education : and further be it 
“ Resolved, That a copy of these preambles and resolutions be forwarded 
to each member of Congress.” 
These resolutions were sent, by resolution of the same society, 
to the faculties of the universities and colleges throughout the 
United States for their approval and signature. Replies express- 
ing this approval and signed by the faculties, or their accredited 
officers, were received from the following institutions :— 
The American Philosophical Society, Philadel hia; The Franklin 
Institute, Philadelphia ; the Academy of Natura Sciences, Philadel- 
. . ne 
City ; Union College, New York ; Kenyon College, Ohio; N orthwestern 
iversi Colles. Ohio ; University of Vir- 
ginia, Na ne d e Va. ; Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.; Ha 
As regards the removal of duty from imported philosophical and 
scientific apparatus, your committee cannot report much progress. 
Our efforts have been mainly directed to the removal of the duty 
on books, under the belief that success in this direction will pre- 
> the way for further advance. We have not, however, neg- 
ected this important subject. The Mills tariff bill thus refers 
to it (pp. 27 and 32): 
(p. 82.) “And on and after October first, 1888, in lieu of the duties 
heretofore imposed on the articles hereinafter mentioned in this section, 
there shall be levied, collected and paid the following rates of duty on 
Philosophical apparatus and instruments, twenty-five per centum ad 
valorem. 
Your committee hope to be able to secure the total abolition 
of the duties on foreign books of science, and the great reduction, 
if not abolition, of those on apparatus. We base this hope on the 
activity in the direction of change in the existing laws on this sub- 
ject, at present existing in Congress, and the evident desire of the 
representatives of both the great political parties of the country to 
legislate for the best interests of their constituents, as they under z 
stand them. At the moment of preparing this report it is not 
