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JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. XV

on the southwest corner of the Smithsonian Reservation, similar in style to the present National Museum, and they request an appropriation of $300,000 therefor, to be expended under the direction of the Regents of the Institution."*

The Secretary remarked that the placing of the offices of the Geological Survey upon land heretofore reserved exclusively for Smithsonian purposes might be perhaps considered as committing the Institution toward the policy of a union with other scientific bureaus of the Government. It was in view of the questions of general policy thus involved, that it seemed proper that he should ask instruction from the Regents. He could only infer their opinion on the former bill from the language of the resolution, which apparently implied,

First. That increased provision was desirable for the Museum collections.

Second. From its silence as to the Geological Survey, that the building proposed in the bill was not to be appropriated to that use.

The Secretary had lately been informally advised that it was the desire of the Geological Survey to obtain his opinion with reference to this, in anticipation of a bill to be brought before the present Congress, and he desired to be favored with the judgement of the Regents. 

The Chancellor stated that it was desirable that new Museum buildings should be erected in any case, but that since by act of Congress a certain part of the public grounds had been set apart and appropriated absolutely and exclusively to the Smithsonian Institution, he for one did not want to see anything else placed on these grounds. He further said "If the Smithsonian Institution is to grow it will need them all, and whatever is put upon them should be under our exclusive control."

After remarks by a number of Regents, expressing concurrence in the views of the Chancellor, it was suggested by Mr. Phelps that the unanimous opinion of the Board ought to be embodied in a resolution.

The Chancellor did not think this was necessary. He supposed all the Secretary wanted was the moral support of the Board in a policy which would forbid the placing of any building on the Smithsonian grounds except for the exclusive use of the Smithsonian Institution.

The Secretary alluded to another bill, which proposed to occupy part of the public grounds, including the Smithsonian reservation, with buildings for the Columbian celebration in 1892. It was here remarked by a Regent that there was no danger of this being done immediately, to which the Chancellor said, "With my consent, never."

On motion of Dr. Angell, it was resolved that the income of the Institution for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1888, and ending June 30, 1889, be appropriated for the service of the Institution, to be expended by the Secretary, with the advice of the Executive Committee, upon the 

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*Proceedings of the Board, January 17, 1883, Smithsonian Report for 1882, pp. xii, xiii.