1888.] 561 [Hyatt. 



sum for their maintenance, $4000 a year, until 1870, and then, after 

 having been continually solicited by Henry and Baird, they at last 

 granted the sum of $20,000 per annum. It was not, however, until 

 1876, that Congress really recognized the Mational Museum by 

 making an annual appropriation for its support, and in 1879 Con- 

 gress was induced to grant $250,000 for the erection of a separate 

 building for its use. This was the most important step in the his- 

 tory of the Museum and was the direct result of the Smithsonian 

 Exhibit at the Centennial Fair. The main argument for the erec- 

 tion of this building, and that which was used with greatest effect 

 in procuring the necessary appropriation, was the obvious need of 

 preserving and displaying the enormous collections accumulated 

 mainly through Professor Baird's management in Philadelphia. 



Though established by Congress in connection with the collec- 

 tions of the Wilkes' expedition under the title of the National Col- 

 lection of Curiosities, the National Museum had had no life, and 

 no existence as a Museum, until taken into the much larger collec- 

 tions of the Smithsonian. This institution had supported collec- 

 tions for seven years ; and, after the reception of the Wilkes' ex- 

 pedition collections it still continued, for thirteen years more, to 

 supplement the inadequate annual appropriations made by Con- 

 gress. Thus the existence of the National Museum was preserved 

 for twenty years at the expense of the Smithsonian. The credit 

 of founding the National Museum must, therefore, be accorded to 

 Baird, and to the institution of which he was an officer. 



This statement of events indicates a long term of struggles witH 

 harassing difficulties and arduous labors, which can never be re- 

 corded. There was, as there always is in front of all great efforts, 

 abundance of criticism and opposition of a more or less reasonable 

 or unreasonable kind from scientific men, which had to be met and 

 overcome. Though possessing the sympathy of a few congressmen 

 the mass of legislators were at first indifferent or inimical, and be- 

 hind them lay a sovereign population disposed to applaud opposi- 

 tion to the expenditure of money for the support of the apparently 

 useless aims of science. 



The resources of the Smithsonian were employed unremittingly 

 in every way to overcome these difficulties, and Henry and Baird 

 virtually kept school for the nation. They distributed scientific 

 documents and what we might call scientific tracts, and constantly 

 worked for the education of Congress and the people, until the 



PROCEEDINGS B. S. N. H. VOL. XXIII. 36 JANUARY, 1SS9. 



