Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-04
ONE YEARS WORK
OF SMITHSONIAN
English Writer'S Showing OF
What 10 Done by This lnsti-
tuition at Washington.

NotietN WITH It's specific duties, cnucW-
mcnts and grants. but without its fell
lows. Add To It the British Museum,
Including the library and the natural
History departments, the Museum of
Science and Art. the National Gallery.
the National Portrait Gallery. the
functions Of the Geographical Society
In orsanizing p'oring expeditions.
the Astro-ph, Observatory, the
geological Ca and some minor
activities with, 'arallel In this coun-
try. You win Il have To add a huge |
printing department with free distri |
button OF its publications tn learned |
societies throughout the world before |
completing picture of the Smith |
sonian.
Organization and Finance.
Tn Smithsonin Institution was Gre
stcd by act Of Congress in 1916. ac-
cording To the terms uf the VIII of
James Smithson. a distinguished Eng
lish Chcmis, and natural son Of the :
first Duke of Northumberland. who be-
Quoathed his property TO the United
states of America ito found at Wash
ington an establishment for the in
crease and diffusion of knowledge
among men" The President. Vice
President, Chief Justice. and the
heads of the executive departments of
the Federal government were appoint
ed AZ perpetual official trustees. But
81 could not be expected that the lead
ms members of the government NJ a
great country could attend TO the de
tails OF administration. which were
therefore entrusted To- the board of
regents, consisting of the Nicc-Presi-
dent. the Chief Justice. three members
OF the Senate. three members Of the
House of Representative. together
with six persons other than members
of Congress. two resident IN the city
of Washington. no two ~ the remain
inS four belonging 20 the same state.
Tho board appoints single person as
secretary 81 the institution. secretary
ot the board ~ regents. and executive
oihcor directly IN charge ~ the insti-
tution's activities The present occu-
pant ~ this extremely powerful posi-
uon n DIR. Charles ~ Waicott, a dis
unguished gcologist who succeeded
Samuel Langley, most widely known
a. one OF the founders of aviation In
1907
The original Smithson request, held
IN trust 10y the United states Treasury
nov amounts To- over SEQ. 00s. sub
seQuent requests and donations have
increased the invested capital 10 ST.
lh1.562. In addition 20 the interest
from this capital the Institution re-
Ccived IN the year ending June, 1921.
grants from Congress earmarked FOR
individual departments amounting To
sIaS62o and a. grant 81 sl3.12S for
printing. Various private benefac-
,iuns. usually for specified objects.
still further swelled the income But
oven n brief survey az the responsi-
hiiiics undertaken Shows that this
substantial income leaves little margin
The secretary bases an eloquent plea
FOR further endowment ON the fact
that almost daily the institution Is
forced 20 forego opportunities fol
valuable explorations and scientific re-
searches on account of lack Of means.
smithsonian Activities.
Exploring expeditions have 4. beer
conducted In many parts Of the world
The secretary has been investigators
the relations OF the Rocky Mountain
Go the crciaceous plains Of Canada
Vertebrate fossils have been secure,
Tor the National Museum ia man,
81 the States. An expedition has beer
collecting In South and Central Afri
ca and has brought back 20 the Ma
tional Museum 6s7 mammals. 81
birds, zoe reptiles and 1898 fishes. An
other expedition has sent from Aus
tralia 4i0 mammals $40 birds AN,
large numbers Of reptiles and inver
tebrates. Molluses have been brough
from Hawaii and from California
plants from the Philippines. Japan an
China. and from Santo Domingo
Archaeological collections have bee
made In Arizona and New Mexico: an
chronological explorations relatin
chiefly 20 Indians have been made &
Colorado. Texas and New Mexico.
During the year the Smithsonian In
stitution issued 1l3 volumes an
pamphlets, dealing with almost ever
branch of science and distribute
Throughout the world LAP .2oS Copie
of them. in conformity with the In
tention of the founder that the diff
fusion OF knowledge should be an I'm
portant part az the work Equal
valuable M tho same direction II IN
work done under a system OF inter
national exchanges arranged by de
iartmont ~ the institution. A depc
has been appointed In nearly ever
civilized country 10 which America
scientific publications are sent in bul
Tor subsequent distribution. froi
which publications of the country
question given IN exchange are ser
10 Washington. whence they are di.
rributed to their American destina
tions. The service with Germany Ia
now been resumed. and new arrany,
ments have been made. or are
process. with CzechO- Slovakia, POlan
Lumsnia and Yuso-Slavia.
The library received II .9sS accei
sions during the year The Nations
Museum has nov been separated fro
the National Gallery OF Art. as the la
ter has been established in "A separa
building. which. however remain
under the Smithsonian The art co
lection dates only from 1906. but I
gifts and requests already contain
works Of art valued" ia the wor,
of the secretary. at several MILL,
dollars" There L. an annual purChA
ing fund of nearly $4,000. and a nj
tiOnal portrait committee has be,
formed with the purpose OF collectir
portraits uf disting uished America
FOR presentation 10 the gallery. ind
the viii qf Charles l.. Freer a We
Interesting collection of works OF al
chiefly ancient Egyptian and Asiat
buf incl sding III drawings. esq etc
lngs GO oils. az water -cOlors. the pa
els OF the famous peacock room" al
many other works OF Whistler n