the printing part of the machine, and a record is made in the form of an ascending curve on the drums and on a slip of paper in figures, on the principle of the printing telegraph. When the mercury falls the motion of the pencil is reversed by bringing into operation a second electro-magnet by which is traced a descending curve. Two drums are used, one giving the curve for two weeks and the other the same more developed for two days, the one serving as a check on the other. An interesting series of observations furnished from the United States engi neer depot at Willett's Point, New York, by General Abbot, exhibits the almost perfect parallelism of two curves for nearly a month, one by an apparatus similar to this at Albany and the other at Willett's Point, from observations with an ordinary standard barometer, the distance between these places being upwards of a hundred and fifty miles. The parallelism of these curves exhibits not only the probable accuracy of the self-recording apparatus, but also the extent in a north and south direction of a wave of atmospheric pressure. The great improvement in meteorological data must depend in future on the introduction of self-recording instruments, especially at important points.

Beside the contributions made directly from the ordinary observations of the Institution, the following is an acccount of a memoir belonging to meteorology, previously noticed under the head of publications:

On the evening of July 20, 1860, a meteoric fire-ball passed over the northern parts of the United States and the adjacent parts of Canada, of so extraordinary a brilliancy as to attract the attention of numerous observers along its entire visible track of nearly 1,300 miles. The phenomenon was of so interesting a character that the Smithsonian Institution made exertions to collect observations in regard to it from its meteorological observers and other correspondents, which, together with accounts from newspapers and other sources, were placed in the hands of Professor Coffin, of Lafayette College, for the determination of the orbit of the meteor. In order to correct the observations, in cases where instruments could not be obtained, Professor Coffin directed that estimates should be made of the position of the meteor, by means of an extemporaneous quadrant, consisting of a graduated paper attached to a board, from an angle of which a small plumb-line was suspended. The edge of this instrument being directed to the place in the heavens where the meteor was seen at its greatest elevation, gave approximately the angle of altitude. The meteor was first observed moving from a point over the western shore of Lake Michigan, though it is not improbable that it became luminous when it was somewhat further west, as the sky in that region was obscured by clouds, and it was not until it had reached a point 150 miles further east that the first reliable observation of its position was made; from this point many eyes watched its course, until it disappeared out at sea, in a southeasterly direction, beyond the island of Nantucket. Whatever may have been the orbit of this meteor before it became visible, it is obvious that the portion of the path that

was subject to observation was so near the earth as to be controlled almost entirely by its attraction, and not sensibly perturbed by other bodies. The orbit therefore ascertained, is not the path of the meteor in space, but that having the center of the earth in one of its foci. Professor Coffin proceeded with the data at his command, to determine the path upon the assumption that the earth was a sphere 7,912 miles in diameter, not taking into account its spheroidal form, nor the difference between the true and the apparent zenith. In prosecuting the investigations, the method adopted was as follows: The parallax and position of the meteor were obtained by combining in pairs observations taken on or near the same vertical plane. Unfortunately, the number of pairs of reliable observations was too few for much accuracy. An approximate orbit was, however, determined, from which azimuths and altitudes were deduced, and these compared with those given by the observations. The form of the orbit was then altered so as to diminish the discrepancies, and it was not until over fifty changes of this kind had been made that the final result was attained. The velocity per second, relative to the earth's center, which best corresponded with observations, was nine and three-fourths miles. The first approximate orbit satisfied the most reliable observations west of about longitude 76° or 77°; but further east the discrepancies were so great that they could be reconciled only by a sudden change in the curvature of the path, one at the point just named, and another two or three degrees further east. In the vicinity of the former of these points a remarkable rupture in the body of the meteor was observed, where it separated into two parts that appeared nearly of equal size, thus affording a rational explanation of the change in the elements. That a change should take place at a point of explosion was not difficult to understand, but the fact that the meteor descended quite rapidly towards the earth, until it reached the meridian of 74°, and afterwards rose, was difficult to comprehend. The most plausible explanation was suggested by Professor Lyman, viz: that the change in direction was due to the increased resistance of the air as the meteor descended into a denser portion. An attempt was made to deduce the quantity of the change from this hypothesis; the result, however, was not entirely satisfactory, an empirical change being assumed in the path near longitude 74°. An orbit was computed, the path of the meteor divided itself into three sections, the first and last of indefinite length, through only a small portion of which the meteor was visible; the other an intermediate portion of 160 miles in length, where it was most brilliant. The most important omission in the calculation of the elements of this meteor, according to Professor Coffin himself, was that of the spheroidal form of the earth, which became of importance in comparison with the small height of the meteor; but with the hope that the subject might hereafter receive at the hands of others a more thorough discussion, he concluded to slightly modify the elements, so as to afford an unperturbed orbit that would differ so

little from the disturbed one, that the azimuths and the altitudes which he had already computed for the one might serve for the other. The velocity of the meteor, when nearest the earth, was 9.76 miles per second; its least distance from the surface of the earth was 39.19 miles, at about the middle of New York.

Correspondence.-As the collaborators of the Institution generally reside at a distance, the business with them is principally carried on by mail. The same is also the case in regard to all the exchanges, and consequently the record of nearly all the transactions of the Institution is contained in the correspondence. Besides, those relating to official business, hundreds of letters are received during the year, containing inquiries relative to the various subjects on which the writers desire information. If these cannot be immediately answered without much research, they are referred to collaborators who are experts in the various branches of knowledge, and who can readily supply information in regard to subjects within the range of their special studies.

In addition to the foregoing it may also be mentioned that there are four hundred meteorological observers, from each of whom several letters are received annually. The correspondence of the Institution being of such importance, it has been considered necessary to adopt a system in regard to it, which consists in registering in a book prepared for the purpose, every letter received which pertains to the business of the Institution. The mail is opened every morning by an assistant, who assigns to each letter a number, gives a synopsis of its contents, and notes to whom it is referred for answer. The letters are afterwards bound in volumes and indexed. Press copies are kept of all the answers. An idea may be formed of the amount of labor bestowed upon this branch of operations, when it is mentioned that the number of letters registered during 1868 was 5,141. This does not include letters acknowledging the receipt of donations from the Institution, which would swell the number of actual receipts by the mail to upwards of 10,000.

During the past year references of inquiries above referred to have been made to the following gentlemen: Dr. Torrey, of New York; Professors Gray and Wyman, of Cambridge; Dr. Leidy and Mr. Isaac Lea, of Philadelphia; Professors Whitney, Brush, and Newton, of New Haven; Drs. Woodward, Otis and Craig, of the Surgeon General's office; Prof. Schaeffer and Mr. W. B. Taylor, of the Patent Office; Professor S. Newcomb, of the Naval Observatory; and Mr. George Gibbs and Mr. J. H. Lane, of Washington.

Grounds.-The Smithsonian building, as is well known to the visitors of Washington, stands in the midst of a park, adorned with a collection of the principal ornamental trees which are susceptible of cultivation in this climate. This forms part of a reservation of the government denominated the "Mall," extending from the Capitol to the Potomac,

which, in accordance with the design of Mr. Downing, was to be entirely devoted to an extensive park.

This plan has been revived by the present Commissioner of Public Buildings, General Michler, of the United States army, who strongly advocates an appropriation for carrying it into execution. On the grounds adjoining the Institution to the west, also a part of the proposed park, within the last year a spacious building has been erected for the uses of the Department of Agriculture, and designs have been made under the present Commissioner, General Capron, for the establishment of an extensive arboretum. With the renewed interest which has been excited on this subject, and the rapid advance of the city in wealth and population, we doubt not the original plan will soon be realized. In the mean time, however, we would call attention to the fact that many of the valuable trees originally planted by Downing are being injured by the luxuriant growth and consequent crowding of those too near each other. Though the visitors to the Institution-and the number of these is by no means small in the course of a year, and from every part of the world-are delighted with the general appearance of the grounds and the picturesque effect of the building, yet their sense of propriety is shocked and their olfactory nerves outraged, in approaching the building from the city, by having to cross that most disgusting object known as the "canal," though for years it has done no service of any value in that capacity. It is, in fact, a Stygian pool, from which are constantly ascending in bubbles, as from a caldron, mephitic vapors. That part of it which bounds the Smithsonian grounds and those of the Agricultural Department, on the north, consists of a basin 150 feet wide, extending from Seventh street to Fourteenth street. Into this is poured most of the excrementitious matter of the city, which is suffered to decompose into offensive gases, and exposes with each ebb of the tide a mass of the most offensive matter conceivable. This subject, at the last session of the Board of Regents, was referred to the executive committee, who have given it special attention, and prepared a report which will be presented to the Board at the present session, and should be ordered to be published.*

The only reason assigned for suffering this nuisance to remain so long unabated is the difficulty of settling upon a plan of remedying the evil, but surely this need not longer to stand in the way since there is engineering ability enough in the country to solve problems of greater intricacy than the one under consideration. The only effectual cure of the evil is, in my opinion, to fill up the present basin, and construct a covered sewer of sufficient capacity to receive that part of the drainage of the city which cannot be turned in other directions. A wide street with concave surface to discharge very rare freshets, would afford a series of building lots of sufficient value to pay the This report will be found in the journal of proceedings of the Board of Regents in this volume.

expense of the improvement, while the value of property south of the canal would be greatly enhanced.

Before concluding this sketch of the history of the operations of the Institution for the year 1868, it becomes my duty to mention the death of Mr. William B. Randolph, who for many years has acted as bookkeeper for the Institution, posting and auditing its accounts, and who for 60 years had been connected with the Treasury Department of the government. He was a gentleman of extensive information, a graduate of Princeton College, of inflexible integrity, esteemed and beloved by all who knew him. His life was prolonged with vigor of intellect beyond the usual term of earthly existence, and he died on the 15th of May last at the age of 81.

Since the death of Mr. Randolph the entire charge of the accounts has been given to the chief clerk, Mr. William J. Rhees, by whom they are prepared for quarterly examination by General Delafield and Dr. Parker, of the executive committee.

In conclusion, from all the facts which have been given in this report, as well as in previous ones, we think it may reasonably be claimed that the administration of the Smithson fund, on the whole, has been successful. Though the Institution has been subjected to loss by casualties, and has been exposed to adverse conditions during the most troublous times in the history of the nation, yet it has continued noiselessly and unostentatiously to extend its influence and benefits not only to every part of this country, but to all portions of the civilized world. This success, if mainly due to the definiteness of conception in the original plan, must, in no small degree, be attributed to the fact that the Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the Board of Regents, whose permanence of office, aside from other considerations, could not fail to secure, as has been conspicuously evinced in the case of both Judge Taney and Judge Chase, a warm and intelligent interest in the affairs of the Institution. Neither is it possible to overlook, in this connection, the favorable influence of the policy which, from the first, has invested in a single officer, the Secretary, the executive charge of the operations, thus confiding to him their conduct and rendering him responsible for their results, without in a single case interfering with his acts. Moreover, simple justice would require that due credit should be given to the capable and zealous assistants whom the Secretary has associated with himself in carrying on the multifarious and arduous duties of his office. Respectfully submitted.

WASHINGTON, D. C., January, 1869.

JOSEPH HENRY.