2d Session. THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE No. 48. BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SHOWING THE OPERATIONS, EXPENDITURES, AND CONDITION OF THE INSTITUTION DURING THE YEAR 1848. FEBRUARY 19, 1849. Laid upon the table, and ordered to be printed. WASHINGTON: CONTENTS. 1. List of Officers and Members 2. Third Annual Report of Regents 3. Journal of the Third Annual Meeting of the Regents 4. Second Annual Report of the Secretary 5. Report of the Assistant Secretary, relative to the Library 8. Appendix Page 3 4 10 50 OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION : THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, Ex-officio Presiding Officer of the Institution. GEORGE M. DALLAS, Chancellor of the Institution. JOSEPH HENRY, Secretary of the Institution. CHARLES C. Jewett, Assistant Secretary, acting as Librarian. WILLIAM W. SEATON, ALEXANDER D. BACE, Executive Committee. REGENTS: GEORGE M. DALLAS, Vice President of the United States. GIDEON HAWLEY, Citizen of New York. ALEXANDER D. BACHE, Member of National Institute, Washington. MEMBERS EX-OFFICIO OF THE INSTITUTION : JAMES K. POLK, President of the United States. GEORGE M. DALLAS, Vice President of the United States. ROBERT J. WALKER, Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, EDMUND BURKE, Commissioner of Patents of the United States. HONORARY MEMBERS OF THE INSTITUTION. [No honorary members have yet been elected.] Appointed in place of Mr. Breese, resigned. THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, SHOWING The operations, expenditures, and condition of the Institution up to Janu ary 1st, 1849. To the Senate and House of Representatives: In obedience to the act of Congress establishing the Smithsonian Insti tution for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men, the under signed, in behalf of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, submit to Congress, as a report of the operations, expenditures, and con dition of the Institution, the following documents, viz: 1. Proceedings of the Board of Regents at their last session. 2. Annual report of the Secretary, giving an account of the operations of the Institution during the past year, accompanied by a report from the Assistant Secretary, relative to the library. 3. Report of the Executive Committee, exhibiting an account of the expenditures of the Institution, and of its financial condition on the 1st of January, 1849. 4. Report of the Building Committee relative to the progress made in the erection of the Smithsonian edifice, and in the improvement of the grounds, with a statement of the expenditures which have thus far been made on the same. From these documents it will be seen that the Smithsonian Institution nas already commenced its operations for the increase and diffusion of Knowledge among men; that the plan of organization which has been adopted, and the works which have been completed and begun, have met with the approbation of men of eminence in literature and science both in this country and in Europe; that the Institution has received a valuable donation of chemical and philosophical apparatus from our distinguished countryman, Dr. Robert Hare, of Philadelphia, and that its financial affairs. are in a very favorable condition. From the report of the Building Committee it will be seen that the Smithsonian edifice is as far advanced as the financial arrangements which have been adopted would permit; that the two wings and connecting ranges will be ready for occupation early in the present year, and that the whole will be completed in three years from next March. The report of the Executive Committee shows, that after all the expenditures for the erection of the building and the improvement of the |