Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-23
Board Having Charge Of Smithsonian
Institution Affairs.
ANNUAL STATEMENT BY SECRETARY
Provision for Care of the Remains Of
James aSmithson.
RESULTS OF RESEARCHES

Lie duIiudl meeting or the Doafu OF re-
gents OF the Smithsonian Institution was
heid today. beginning at 10 o'clock. There
were present Chief Justice Melville W. Full
Ter chancellor, who presided; Senator o. H.
Plat. Senator William Lindsay, Represen-
tative r. r. Hit Representative Robert
Adams, Representative Hugh A. Dinsrhore
Mr. j. B. Angel, Mr.. Alexander Graham
Bell, Mr.. Richard Olney and Judge George
Gray. Senator William P. Frye, Mr.. An
drew d. White. now ambassador to Berlin;
senator 3. M. Cullom and Mr.. James B.
henderson were unable to attend. The Sec
retary announced the death, October H.
1900, of William L. Wilson, a member Of
the board. Appropriate resolutions were
adopted in his memory, which were ordered
to be spread on the minutes and an en-
crossed copy sent to the family of the de-
ceased. Mr.. James B. Henderson, who was
prevented from being present, had prepared
a lifting address, which, at the request Of
Mr.. Hit. he was given leave to add to the
minutes.
The following changes were announced In
the membership of the board: Mr.. Richard
Oiney was appointed by Congress. with the
PRESIDENTS approval, to succeed Mr.. Will
liam Preston Johnston. and Mr.. Andrew D.
white was appointed to succeed himself
appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the
death Of Mr. Wilson.
Secretary's Annual Report.
The secretary presented his annual report
for the year ending June 30. 1900. which
was accepted 1t showed that scientific re-
searches were carried on in many directions,
the details being made known through pub
locations widely spread. Experiments have
been made with the Light emitted from GER
tain substances kept in absolute darkness,
and by this. light photographs have been
xxyn11 OK In A mo f.a
several investigators have been granted aid
from the Hodgkins fund and much impor-
tant work was resulting. Possibly the most
striking was that undertaken with a grant
from this fund at the Blue Hill observatory
by MIR. Lawrence ROtch, his experiments
having to do with kites which had reached
the extraordinary height of nearly three
miles, and with space telegraphy. 1t was
found that when the distances between sta
lions was increased the long wires which
supported the kites collected so much cleo
tricity as to interfere with the messages
sent from station to station. The institu-
ton has continued to support table at the
Naples biological station, and these have
been occupied by American students.
Room for Children.
The plan of preparing a special room for
children in the Smithsonian building is be-
ing matured. and 1t Is the hope that this
exhibit will soon be ready. The room is to
be made as light and attractive as possible,
the objects to be bright the labels to con-
tain no technical language, the whole idea
being the stimulation of the wonder and
interest of the unlearned, especially of chill
dren.
The secretary alsoa announced that the
institution had undertaken the publication
of great work on the standards of color,
which will give jim an, absolute form a large
number of colors and shades, which are
found in nature as we'll as those which are
employed In the arts. An endeavor will
ha do tp oiCp Standard
to them. and for scientific purposes to fix
their exact wave-1engths in the spectrum,
so that even IL the colors faded out in the
book itself absolute standards will have
been established for scientific use. This
work will, however. be by no means con-
fined to naturalists, and will be equally use
full to the artist, the dyer and the manu-
facturer.
The attention of the board was called
by the secretary to the numerous addi-
lions to the museum collections, which.
during the year numbered 206,617 speci-
mems. among which special mention was
made of the fossils collected by the late
Prof. Marsh during his connection with the
United States geological survey. This col
lection alone filled five cars
The secretary stated that while the mu-
scum had been improved in appearance
during the year, the entire inadequacy OF
the present building was so apparent that
the building has now in parts the appear
ance Of a storeroom rather than that OF a
museum.
Researches by Bureau of EthnoIOgy.
The officers of the bureau Of ethnology
have made extensive researches in various
parts Of the country, and important results
have been obtained and some studies car
ried on in Cuba, jamaica and the Philip
pine Islands.
The number of correspondents who are
now receiving from or transmitting
through the Smithsonian Institution var
pIhIica tons has aggregated nearly
10000 most of whom are without the
United States: and the Secretary devoted
considerable time and attention during the
year to increase our returns from foreign
countries to be deposited in the Library of
Congress; in this matter he had received
the aid of the Department of State ana
various ambassadors abroad.
The Geological Park has received many
important additions during the year, and
now has $50 animals. Quite large num-
Der of improvements to the animal houses
have been made, ana temporary. house
for birds has been built. The Secretary
acknowledged the receipt of valuable aid
from United States consuls, whom he spe-
cally named to the regents.
An important part of his report on the
geological Park lay in reminding the re-
gents that while the great herds of buff
falo had been suffered to perish from off
the earth by lack of any protection from
Congress- the same experience was now
about to repeat itself with regard to the
great animals of Alaska, where the largest
carnivorous animal on the planet, the ko-
diak bear, and the giant moose have near
ly disappeared. The Secretary had made
earnest representations to Congress for
several years on the subject without eff
feet. Unless something was done this year
or the next the final end of these animals
might soon be expected.
Observation of Eclipse.
In many ways the most interesting
work carried Oh during the year was in
connection with the observation Of the
eclipse of the san Of May %. 1900. the in
stitution sending, a party to Wadesboro.
N. c., which made. numerous observations
and secured most excellent results In the
way of photographs. While there were
MANY interesting observations. the most
important were those looking toward the
discovery of an tntraIpercurial planet and
on the heat Of tie corona, and these 1t was
intended to improve. extend and correct in
a small Smithsonian expedition to Sumatra
for the eclipse u the present year.
The report ofsthe' executive committee
showed that the permanent fund now de-
nestled in theTUnited States treasury Is
S012' OOO. and that the institution holds
other funds amounting to $4,000. The
vacancy in the executive committee caused
bv the death of Mr., Wilson was filed by
the election Of Representative r. r. Hit.
A communication was received from Mr..
Andrau n White giving an account of the