M.

U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Office,
Washington, D.C., February 11, 1890.

Prof. O. C. Marsh,

President of the National Academy of Sciences,
New Haven, Connecticut,

Dear Sir:

On May 15, 1888 Professor Fairman Rogers forwarded to this Office from his house at Philadelphia 6 or 7 boxes of triplicate records of Triangulation Coast and Geodetic Survey which had been made some years ago for the late Professor A.D. Bache and which were his private property. As residuary legatee of Prof. A.D. Bache, these boxes and their contents are now the private property of the National Academy of Sciences. They have been examined by Asst. C.A. Schott at this Office who is well aware of all the facts in connection with them and who reports that they are utterly worthless to the Coast Survey or to any other body. I have the honor to report this matter to you as President of the National Academy and to ask, under the circumstances, what disposition shall be made of these boxes and their contents. If they are turned over to the Coast and Geodetic Survey, these old books will be thrown into the waste paper pile

2

and the matter so disposed of. In Prof. Roger's letter of
May 15, 1888 transmitting these books to the Coast and Geodetic
Survey Office where he thought they might possibly be of some
account, he says that he will write to you and communicate the
result to this Office, but we have received no further communication on the subject.

I will be pleased to carry out your wishes in regard to
this matter and hope that you will find it convenient to render a
decision at an early day.

Yours respectfully,
T. C. Mendenhall
Superintendent.

(Copy)

New Haven, Conn., February 24, 1890.

Prof. T. C. Mendenhall,

Superintendent, U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.

Dear Sir:

I have received your communication of the
11th inst. in the relation to the boxes of records of the late
Prof. A. D. Bache, sent to your office by Prof. Fairman Rogers,
and now the property of the National Academy of Sciences.

I do not like to decide in regard to the disposition of these
records without consulting the council of the Academy. This I
will do at the April meeting, unless I have an opportunity to do
so before. I will inform you as soon as a decision is reached.

UNITED STATES COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY,

M.

WASHINGTON, D. C., June 3, 1890

Prof. O. C. Marsh,
Yale College,
New Haven, Connecticut,

Dear Sir:

This Office is in receipt of a letter from Mr. Max Pracht, Collector of Customs at Sitka, Alaska, dated May 15th, in which he says:-

"All accounts point to a unique and very peculiar condition of things on that plateau or slightly inclined strip of meadow land, which lies between the Ocean and the Mountains, Ocean Point and the mouths of Harrison River. Various trustworthy witnesses have assured me that there are great heaps and mounds of 'Mammoth' bones, in good preservation, the growth of vegetation is said to be something marvellous, wild strawberries of exquisite flavor abound and game of all kinds, bear, deer, lynx, and wild-fowl, swan - goose and duck, not to mention the ever present 'grouse and ptarmigan.'

Thinking that this matter would be of some interest to you I have the pleasure to forward it, as above.

WASHINGTON, D. C.

MAY 10, 1892.

DEAR SIR:

At a meeting of the National Academy of Sciences on April 21st, 1892, the following resolution was adopted:

"Resolved: That a committee of five members of the Academy be appointed by the President, whose duty it shall be to consider such amendments to the Constitution as may be offered or suggested by any member of the Academy during the six months following the present meeting, and to report at the next stated meeting upon such proposed modifications of the Constitution and By-laws of the Academy as are likely, in their judgment, to increase its efficiency as a means of advancing and conserving the interests of science in America."

The undersigned were appointed by the President of the Academy members of the Committee thus provided for.

In order to carry out the intent of this resolution, you are earnestly requested to send to the Chairman any suggestions as to amendment or alteration of the Constitution of the Academy that may seem to you desirable. Those who were present at the recent meeting will remember that there was a decided expression on the part of some members in favor of a gradual reduction in membership and that it was suggested that this might, if desirable, be accomplished by restricting the number to be elected annually, and at the same time, by adding a class of "associates," from which all future elections should be made, the total personnel of the Academy would be considerably enlarged. If you have any decided views upon this question or any plans by means of which the membership may be either enlarged or diminished, if in your judgment such change is desirable, the Committee will be pleased to hear from you.

As the time for the collection and examination of these opinions is limited, will you please give the matter your early attention?

Yours respectfully,

T. C. MENDENHALL, *Chairman*.
H. P. BOWDITCH.
W. H. BREWER.
J. W. POWELL.
C. A. YOUNG.

Address reply to the Chairman, marked "Personal."