New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-17

stage. During his famous visit to the SUNNI"
Of Mount Whitney, in 1881 he made a new
computation Of the intensity OF the suns rays
before they enter our atmosphere. and conciudeu
that scarcely GO per cent of this energy reaches
the earth: he was led to believe that II the
absorption of the air could be eliminated tns
suns light would come to us blue. ana ne
found that the solar spectrum reaches out pe-
you'd the red end Of the visible part Tor far
greater distance than had ever been imagined
Prior to that time he had invented delicate
piece Of apparatus, known as the poio"eoei'
for tho special purpose of exploring the mira
red region This instrument consists OF MA
ment OF metal. whose resistance TO the HOW Oh
a current OF electricity varies with temperature
and the amount OF current passing through IL
is measured by a galvanometer so SENSITIVE 'na'
II will nuctuate perceptibly when the tempera-
ture rises or falls one-mlonth OF degree
Not first historically but perhaps foremost IN
Importance in the work OF the Smithsonian
Institution. was the creation of its great Ma
tional Museum and the organization OF
Bureau OF Ethnology Various expeditions un-
der Government auspices to survey the Me"''
can boundary and possible routes for the Pa
ctfc railroads sent out during the h's'
decade OF the institutions existence. Natural
lists who had either been selected or else coacheu
by Professors Henry and Baird accompanied
these parties. In connection with survey Vi
Alaska and Eastern Siberia. for a projected IN
ternational telegraph line that was never con-
structed Robert Kennicott and William IL. Dan
made an elaborate study OF the natural history
OF those countries Very early In the fifties
Thaddeus Culbertson found remains Of extinct
snecies OF animals in that wonderful deposit up
at the headwaters Of the Missouri. and thus
paved the way for the historic pa@ontological
discoveries OF Leidy, Marsh Cope, Osborn ana
Scott.
Then there we're the famous explorations or
Indian mounds and monuments In the Missis-
sippi Valley and Wisconsin by Squier, DAVIS
and Lapham: and two or three Arctic expeui-
tons went out from this country during the
first twenty years of the Smthsonians history
From all Of these and from kindred sources
there poured into Washington an immense
quantity Of minerals, fossils, specimens or ex-
listing but then newly discovered. types or plant
insect snake fish bird or mammal prehistoric
human remains and other valuable ma.erla-'
Long before the Centennial Exposition when n
number OF large foreign collections were as
nloved IN PHILADELPHIA. and then bought
by the Smithsonian. the Institutions own eui-
fee had proved Inadequate for the proper stor-
arrangemenl
vears there had been a nominal museum,
but this name applied to the material, not 10
the place of deposit. Professor Baird was
Curator Of II. and sum ranging from $1,000 to
$4,000 was appropriated annually by Congress
nartiallv TO defray the expense Of caring for
the collections But for years Professor Henry
besought that body to give him an additional
huilding and In 1879 after Professor Board
had become secretary $250O0O was granted FOR
this purpose Dr. Goode, who had genius for
classification and administration, and has been
known as one Of the great authorities on such
matters was made Curator OF what was now
more distinctivey than ever before our Ma
tional Museum.
The explorations Of the Geological Survey, Of
fciay organized in 1871. and intrusted to Ma
for j. W. Powell. under the control OF the
Smithsonian Institution, were at first geographi-
cal and geological but eventually they we're
largely devoted TO a study OF the language,
implements and customs OF the various Indian
tribes Of North America. The official status OF
the survey has changed from time to time. and
In 1893 Major Powell resigned the dictatorship.
But the chronological work done by this branch
Of the Government has at all times been under
the SUI ervision Of the Institution, and Major
Powell retained his connection with it even af-
/
assistance Of DR.. w ]. MCGEE and other col
laborators he has made valuable additions TO
the store Of human knowledge regarding the
American Indian.
one Of the Smithsonian's chief methods Of diff
fusing information has been the publication Of
three classes Of Hterature-original papers sub
mitted to (and often invited by) the Institution.
giving the results Of scientific research by
Americans; summaries OF the most important
papers published abroad and revealing real
progress and various photographers Of different
sciences. and catalogues Of specimens. The
Smithsonian Contributions and Reports for
the last fifty years constitute a library OF in
calculabe worth.
Another feature OF the Institutions work
which has proved Immensely useful In realizing
James Smthson's wishes is II, elaborate sys
TEN Of distribution and exchange. Not only its
own publica tons, but numerous Government re-
ports and documents printed by scientific
| cietles and colleges have been sent abroad 10
representatives Of foreign educational insttu-
tons and Libraries; and literature, instruments
and specimens, sent from abroad TO American
| investigators, collectors and schools have been
sent 10 their destinations by the same agency
usually without charge.
Between 1876 and 1865 the Smithsonian
qured by degrees. large and well-selected
| library Of its own. 1t was Professor Henry's
intention TO make this purely scientific library.
and although he objected to some criti-
cisrn for not adopting a broader policy he adj
hered 10 his programme In 1868. largely in
consequence Of fire which did little harm but
| was suggestive OF dire possibilities the books
| and manuscripts Of the Institution trans
! ferrec to two new OF the Library OF
Congress. They were kept separate from the
| literature belonging to the latter however, and
have ever since been under the special guard
! ianship of an assistant librarian appointed by
! the secretary Of the Smithsonian.
The fire just referred to destroyed a collec-