Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution

PART I REPORT UPON TIIK CONDITION AND PROGRESS OF THE U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1901. RICHARD RATHBUN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN [NSTITUTION, IX CHARGE OF TIIK U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM. NAT MUS 1!H)1 1 REPORT THK CONDITION AND PROGRESS OF THE U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1901. Richard Rathbun, Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, in, vhnnje <>/ C. S. National Miixeum. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. Through the munificence of James Smithson, an Englishman, the United States came into possession in 1838 of about half a million dollars, to be used " for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men."1 The wise counsels that prevailed in interpreting the provisions of this bequest, a large one for that time, led to the employment of a portion of the fund for founding a museum for the nation, universal in its scope and usefulness. The authority for carrying out this purpose was embodied in the Congressional act of 184*> establishing the Smithsonian Institution, which directed that there be delivered to it, whenever suitable arrange- ments could be made from time to time for their reception, "all objects of art and of foreign and curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants, and geological and mineralogical specimens belonging to the United States." Provision was also made for the growth of the collections by exchange, donation, or otherwise, and for the arrangement and classification of the specimens in a manner best to facilitate their examination and study. The first Board of Regents, upon which devolved the task of effecting a definite plan of organization for the Institution, expressed its concurrence in this feature in the following resolution, passed in January, 1847: Resolved, That it is the intention of theact of Congress, and in accordance with tin- design of Mr. Smithson, as expressed in his will, that one of the principal modes of executing the act and the trust is the accumulation of collections of specimens and ohjects of natural history and of elegant art, and the gradual formation of a library of valuable works pertaining to all departments of human knowledge, to the end that a copious storehouse of materials of science, literature, and art may be provided, which shall excite and diffuse the love of learning among men, and shall assist tin- original investigations and effortsof those who may devote themselves to the pursuit of any branch of knowledge. 1901. 4 REPORT <>K NATIONAL MUSEUM, building Thus were taken the initial steps thai have resulted in the largest branch of the up of the National Museum of to-day, the Smithsonian Institution, and already endowed with resources which if at all, by only a very in extent, variety, and richness arc surpassed, of the tVw of the older museums of the world. The actual nucleus Museum, however, was formed a few years earlier by a society first known a- the National Institution and afterwards as the National Institute, organized for the avowed purpose of directing the Smithson bequesf and of engaging in the pursuit of objects in consonance with the terms of that foundation. One of these objects was the gathering of historical and natural historj specimens from both oflicial and private sources, among the former having been the important United States Exploring Expedi- tion mound the world, from 1838 to 1842. The museum of the society, which occupied rooms in the Patent Office building, came virtually to he recognized as the proper place for the deposit and care of all Gov- ernment collections held in Washington. Another important service rendered by the society, as pointed out by Dr. Goode, was in the direction of educating public opinion "to consider the establishment of such an institution worthy of the attention of the Government of the United States." Failing, however, to secure the public recognition at which it aimed, the National Institute became inactive as early as L846, though it was not until 1861 that it finally passed out of existence. The Government collections in its possession, which were among those covered by the fundamental act of 1846, remained practi- cally in the custody of the Commissioner of Patents up to 1858, when :he\ were turned over to the Smithsonian Institution. Other material directly under the control of the National Institute was retained at the Patent Office until 1862, and a portion of the historical collection until L883. At the time of the foundation of the Institution probably not more than one or two universities or learned establishments in America had so large an endowment, and it was apparently the idea of Congress that the fund left by Smithson was ample to meet the needs of the multifarious operations then proposed. These included, besides the custody of the national and other collections confided to its care, whereby the Museum was made an integral part of the Institution, the accumulation and maintenance of a large library, the conduct of scientific investigations, and the dissemination of useful knowledge, for all of which purposes the construction of an adequate building was primarily required and immediately determined upon. In the absence of any stated limitations as to the time when the transfer of the Gov- ernment collections should take place, the date for accepting the obli- gation rested with the Regents, who. while confronted with the man- dator languageofthe law, werestill forced to recognize the inadequacy REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 5 of the fund sit their disposal for the support of so large an undertaking. The cost of the extensive and elaborate building, designed mainly For the accommodation of the Museum and Library, would have drawn heavily upon the principal of the fund, had not a policy of delay prevailed, nine years being allowed to elapse between the laying of the corner stone, in 1S4»;. and the completion of the .structure. This delay gave oppor- tunity for influencing a change of sentiment, so that when, in 1857, the necessary arrangement became possible, ( longress was prepared to vote means for building cases, for transferring the specimens from the Patent Otiice, and. to a certain extent, for the care and preservation of the collections. So inadequate, however, were the sums granted that for many years the slender income of the Institution was heavily drawn upon to insure the maintenance of what was then called the Smithsonian Museum, and justly enough, since the building was paid for out of the Smithson fund, and considerable portions of the collections were and still are the actual property of the Institution, through exploration, gift, and purchase, and a number of the officials in charge of the collections were employed at its expense. While the collections in the custody of the National Institute remained at the Patent Office, as before stated, until 1858, material for a museum was in the meantime being accumulated at the Smith- sonian Institution. The first scientific collection to come into its possession, and, in fact, it accompanied the bequest, was the small but valuable mineralogical cabinet of James Smithson, the founder, who was himself, a chemist and mineralogist of repute and a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This collection was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1865. The personal bent of Professor Baird, who became an assistant secretary of the Institution in L850, was toward the collection of natural-history specimens for purposes of study. With the approval of Secretary Henry he put into operation plans for accom- plishing this object, which, fostered and encouraged, were soon yield- ing regular and abundant returns. Professor Baird's own vacations were spent in field work. Officers of the Army and Navy and of other branches of the Government service, fishermen, fur traders, private explorers, and such powerful commercial organizations as the Hudson's Bay Company and the Western Union Telegraph Company were enlisted in the cause and rendered valuable assistance. The influence exerted by these beginnings has been lasting and widespread, as shown in the extensive natural-history operations of subsequent national and State surveys, the organization of the United States Fish Commission, and the support given to scientific collecting by many other bureaus of the Government. The title •National Museum," first recognized by Congress in L875, came into general use through the display of the Government collections at the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia in 1876. This was 6 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1901. the Government partici- the first exposition in this country in which pated, and the first to make known to vast numbers of the people of the United States the existence of national collections at Washing-ton, as well as new methods of installing and exhibiting museum materials, differing radically from the older cabinets of college or local museums which prevailed up to that time. After its close the material brought hack belonging to the Government, together with the extensive gifts made to the United States by private persons and foreign govern- ments, forced the erection of a separate building, which brought the name " National Museum " into greater prominence. Since that time ( Jongress has in the main provided for the maintenance of the Museum, hut its management remains, by the fundamental act, under the authority of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, administered through their Secretary, who is ex officio the keeper—a form of government insuring a consistent and uniform policy and a nonpartisan administration of its affairs. The greater part of the Smithsonian building is still u^'d for museum purposes, and the Institution, as well as all the scientific bureaus at Washington, cooperate, both through men and material, in enlarging and caring for the national collections.

Load more