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XIV JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS.

for the services and expenses of the said Spencer F. Baird during his administration of the office of the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, from February twenty-fifth, eighteen hundred and seventy-one, to the time of his death in August, eighteen hundred and eighty-seven.

The Secretary also called to the fact that Senator Morrill had introduced a bill in the Senate on the 12h of December, 1887, as follows:

A BILL for the erection of a bronze statue of Spencer F. Baird, late Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute. 

Minutes of America in Congress assembled, That the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution be, and are hereby, authorized to contract for a statue in bronze of Spencer F. Baird, late Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, to be erected upon the ground in front of the National Museum; and for this purpose, and for the entire expense of the foundation and pedestal of the monument, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, or so much of said sum as may be needed, is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated. 

On motion of Mr. Phelps it was resolved that the Executive Committee and the Secretary be authorized to act for the Board of Regents in case of the passage of any act of Congress relative to the erection of a statue of Professor Baird.

The Secretary stated that he had but one more matter to which to call the attention of the Board; it was brief, but of considerable importance.

It may be remembered that several years ago the Secretary of the Institution, Professor Baird, called the attention of the Regents to a bill introduced in the House of Representatives as follows, viz:

"For the erection of a fire-proof building on the south portion of the Smithsonian Reservation for the accommodation of the U.S. Geological Survey, and for other purposes.

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the sum of two hundred thousand dollars be, and hereby is, appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the erection of a fire-proof building on the south portion of the Smithsonian Reservation for the accommodation of the U.S. Geological Survey, and for other purposes: Provided, That the consent of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution be first obtained thereto, and that the building be under their direction when completed:  And provided further , That the building be erected by the Architect of the Capitol in accordance with plans approved by the Director of the United States Geological Survey, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and the Architect of the Capitol, acting as a board therefor.

"After a very full expression by the Regents in favor of immediate action, on motion by General Sherman, it was

"Resolved, That the Board of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution recommend to Congress to enlarge the National Museum, so as properly to exhibit the mineral, geological, and other collections already on hand an increasing each year, by the erection of a fire-proof building