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JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS.    127 

On motion of Professor Coppe[[acute accent mark over "e"]]e, the report was adopted.

The Secretary stated that the "Memorial of the Board of Regents," relative to the new building for the National Museum, had been presented to Congress, and that a bill in accordance with it had passed the Senate, without objection, but it had been presented so late in the session that favorable action could not be obtained in the House of Representatives. A renewed effort would be made this session to accomplish the desired object. Several of the Regents expressed the opinion that the bill would be passed at an early day.

The Secretary presented to the Board a miniature likeness of James Smithson, founder of the Institution, and also one of Col. Henry Dickinson, his half brother, which had been purchased from Mons. de la Batut, of Belz, France, a half brother of the nephew of Smithson, who parted with them on account of pecuniary need and his desire that the Institution should possess them. Mr. de la Batut had also presented to the Institution a number of notes addressed to Smithson by Oersted, Arago, Biot, Tennant, Klaproth, and other distinguished scientific men of his time, showing his intimate association with them; also a draught, in Smithson's handwriting, of his will, differing in one very slight particular from the will as presented to the United States by the English Court.

Professor Henry gave an account of what had been received of the personal effects of Smithson, and stated that nearly all these had been destroyed in the fire at the Institution in 1865. He advised the republication, in a suitable form, of all the scientific papers of Smithson.

On motion of Dr. Maclean, it was -

Resolved, That the Secretary be requested to have a memoir of James Smithson prepared and published, to include all his scientific papers now accessible.

On motion of Dr. Coppe[[acute accent mark over "e"]]e it was -

Resolved, That the Secretary prepare and publish a history of the origin and progress of the Institution.

On motion of Dr. Coppe[[acute accent mark over "e"]]e the Board adjourned to meet on Saturday, 26th instant, at 7 o'clock p.m.

JANUARY 26, 1878.

A meeting of the Board of Regents was held this day at 7 p.m., in the office of the Secretary.

Present, Chief-Justice Waite, Chancellor; Hon. R.E. Withers, Hon. James A. Garfield, Hon. George Bancroft, Hon Peter Parker, Dr. Asa Gray, Dr. Henry Coppe[[acute accent mark over "e"]]e, and Professor Henry, Secretary.

Excuses for non-attendance were received from Messrs. Wheeler, Hamlin, Sargent, Stephens, Clymer, Maclean, and Porter.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

Professor Henry presented his annual report of the operations of the Institution for the year 1877, which was read in full.

On motion of Hon. James A. Garfield, the report was accepted, and the Secretary directed to transmit it to Congress.