The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-12-25
'lHE PRESIDENT 10
HELP NATIONAL MUSEUM
Arrangement With Smithsonian Made
Public.
COLLECTION OF UNIQUE VALUE.
Mr.. Roosevelt Wrote Secretary Charles
D. Walcott Outlining His Proposed
Trip and Asking for Field Taxi
dermists to Accompany the Ex-
petition.

petition.
Washington Especially The agree
ment between President Roosevelt
and the Smithsonian Institute as to-
the Presidents hunting trip in Africa
was made public by Charles D. Wal
colt, secretary of the institution, at
Ter ne had conferred with the Presi-
dent. At a meeting of the board OF
regents of the institution held Tues
day he letter of the President was
laid before the board, which, in turn,
adopted the resolution given, there
by entering into contract with the
President for certain work. The let
ter and resolution follow:
The White House, Washington.
Oyster Bay. N Y, June 20, 1908.
My Dear DR.. Walcott. About the
first of April next, intend to start
for Africa. My plans are, of course,
indefinite, but at present hope they
Will be something on the following
order:
BY May 1st shall land at Nom
basa and spend the next few months
hunting and travelling in British and
German East Africa; probably going
thence to or toward Uganda, with the
expectation of striking the Nile
about the beginning of the new year,
and then working down it, with side
trips after animals and birds so as
to come out at tidewater, say about
March LIST. This would give me 10
months In Africa. AS you know, !
am not in the least a game butcher.
like to do certain amount Of hunt
ing, but my real and main interest
is the interest of faunal naturalist.
NOW, 1t seems to me that this opens
the best chance for the National Mu-
scum to get fine collection not only
OF the big game beasts, but of the
smaller mammals and birds of Afri-
ca; and looking at it dispassionately
/ believe that the chance ought not
to be neglected. / will make ar
rangements to pay for the expenses
OF myself and my son. But what T
would like to do would be to get
one or two professional field taxider-
m1sts, field naturalists, to go with
me, who should prepare and send
back the specimens we collect.
The collection which would thus
60 to the National Museum would
be OF unique value 1t would, hope,
include specimens of big game, to-
gether with the rare smaller animals
and birds. / have not the means that
would enable me to pay for the field
naturalists or taxidermists and their
Kit, and the curing and transport Of
the specimens for the National Mu-
scum. Of course, the actual hunting
OF the big game would want to do
myself, or have my son do, but the,
specimens will all go to the National
M useum, save very few personal
trophies of little scientific value,
which for some reason might like,
to keep. Now, can you, in view Of
getting these specimens for the Ma
tional Museum. arrange for the
services of the field taxidermists and
Tor the care and transport of the
specimens? AS ex-President. j should
reel that the National Museum is
the museum to which my collection
should go.
With high regard. sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
ITO Hon. Charles D. Walcott, secre-
tary. Smithsonian Institution, Wash
ington."
Resolved, That the board of re-
gents of the Smithsonian Institutions
express to Theodore Roosevelt, Pres
ident of the United States, its ap-
probation of his very generous Of.
fer contained in his letter of the goth
OF June, 1908. to the secretary of the.
institution with respect to his expcd.-
tion to Africa, and that 1t accent the,
same"