Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-14

departments Of knowledge The facilities afforded for
Of this plan by the stereotyping Of the titles
and afterwards without loss Of the previous labor and
cost of printing be continued to form the complete work.
would alone justify the labor and expense Of establishing
an Office for stereotypng The work already executed
or in progress will furnish ready test Of the pracca
biity and efficiency Of the mode Of stereotypng which
we have employed"
The special report of Prof. SPENCER F. BAIRD is
plee with topics Of scientific and popular interest On
particular subject of exchanges Of publications with
the foreign world it is stated that the operations of the
institution have been very extensive and productive Of
the happiest results. Prof. BAIRD remarks:
at may safely be estimated that least three fourths
of the scientific exchanges Of this country and of Europe
now pass through the Smithsonian Institution The
pense which is borne by the institution though con-
siderable, is trng in proportion to the good accom-
plished in the diffusion of knowledge"
The number of foreign institutions receiving exchanges
from the Smithsonian three hundred in all Of
which two hundred and seven receive the Smithsonian
contributions in full or the whole transmission in this
way the Smithsonian made direct presents Of 5,756
volumes, against 8, ,439 presents from others.
In the Natural History department the deposites with
the institution were quite They were objects
in zoology and palaontolOgy consisting of mammals,
Birds reptiles fishes and invertebrates plants fossils
and minerals. The report says:
| "The collection of mammals from Northern Europe;
announced last year having been transmitted by the
Academy of Sciences Stockholm has since arrived and
fully realized the antcpatons of its value 1t consists
of wepreserved skins and skeletons Of nearly all the
larger Species reindeer elk stag BEARS wolves foxes
guton SC. All of them indispensable the proper
determination Of the allied American species-a task
which could before be accomplished for want Of
just such material At the present time the Smithsonian
Institution is in possession Of the best collection Of the
larger North American and European mammals, both
skins and skeletons be found in the United States
GAS usual the most marked additions to the collections
of the institution be found in the department Of
reptiles and fishes These have been received from all
portions of the United States including California New
Mexico, and Texas.
Various remains of the North American Indians have
been received by the institution during the year but
much the most important addition in this department IS
to be found in large number Of axes, arrowheads and
other stone instruments from Denmark, presented by
Prof c. c. Rain, Of Copenhagen thus affording in
teresng opportunity of comparing the closely allied i'm
pements used by the aborgnes of Europe and Of North
America"
In appendix to his report Prof BAIRD recounts a
number Of scientific explorations by different depart
ments of the Government all Of considerable and
raj of high interest We make for notices of
one two only, remarking at the time that most
of these explorations received less aid from the
Smithsonian Institution: ....
"Lieut Giss returned in November last from three
years residence at Santiago in Chill to which place he
had gone for the purpose of observing the paraax of
Venus. During the time Of his absence he made more
than forty thousand observations this planet besides
gathering very large number Of facts in regard to other
departments OF astronomy, magnetism, neteorology,
earthquakes geography, &c. He also made very valu-
able collections in natural history, especially in orntho
logy in many respects superior to those collected and
published by Claude Gay, in his History of Chilli.
"Leut. McRae, who, with Lieut. Phelps, had been the
companion of Lieut. Giss detached by him to carry
magnetcal and meteorological profile the conti
the Andes. This route will be- for the most
part through unexplored region and the result will
la,,hx ha ofyarry tspfara
The expedition for the exploration of the Zuni river
organized under Capt L. Sitgreaves returned last win
ter, after having accomplished oil its objects in remark
ably short space Of time. Accompanied by Lieut. ]. G.
Parke DR.. s. W. Woodhouse surgeon and naturalist
Mr. r. II. Kern as artist, and Mr.. A. Leroux guide
the party left the pueblo of Zun the Oath of Septem
ber with escort of thirty men, commanded by Major
II. L. Kendrick, of the Sd artillery. Passing down the
Zuni (Which proved be nconsiderabe stream to its
junction with the Little Colorado sixty miles below they
continued down to the Cascades some eightysix miles
further where the stream falls into deep cafon. From
this point they compelled to strike to the Colo
rado and descended this stream about two hundred and
fifty miles to it's mouth. Crossing to San Diego,
they arrived at the termination of that part Of their jour
ney in the end of December great part Of the route
having been before explored much done by the
expedition in rectyng and improving the geography of
the region, while Dr. Woodhouse made of the scanty
opportunities afforded by the barren soil to collect peci
of natural history many Of which have proved new
to science"
The report of Prof FOREMAN in charge of the meteor
illogical department, (now held by Prof BLoDGRT pre-
numerous list Of persons throughout the country
cooperating with the institution in this branch Of sci
ence. 1t says:
"Wth but few exceptions there have been received
guar monthly returns of observations from oil the sta
previously reported and it is gratifying to find that
system has been extended by the addition of several
stations The observers reside chiefly the Western
and Southern States-dstrics Of country from which
meteorological Information much needed The spirit
manifested by the corps of observers has also improved
is manifest from the registers being carefully kept
and the desire Of all who have but few instruments sup
ply themselves in this respect and at their cost
is to be regretted that the limited at the disposal
the institution for this object and the many demands
upon it for other purposes render it nexpedient at pre-
sent to MD observers in the purchase Of instruments
Soon after the occurrence of earthquake in the
central part of the United States the 29th Of April
1852 circular issued by the Secretary requesting
report Of any observations which had been made
could be gathered relative to that event Numerous
plies have been received embodying facts sufficient to
able the institution to mark the point of chief intensity
and trace out the diverging lines along which the earth
wave passed"
GRoANING CRYEa.-The introduction Of chloroform
and ether with view to prevent the pain Of surgical
operations blunt the effects Of Diseases is
hailed every where great blessing to mankind This
view however, is questioned by French surgeon, who
long since published dissertation in which he takes
the ground that the groanng and crying during
painful surgical operation the better is for the
, system From the benefit which hysterica and other
patients derive from groanng and crying he sup
poses that by these processes of nature the superabun