The memoir by Prof. E. Duclaux, of Paris, entitled Atmospheric Actinometry and the Actinic Constitution of the Atmosphere, describes the methods and results of numerous experiments on the chemical rays of the sun by the exposure of oxalic acid to their action. Pro fessor Duclaux found that the chemical action of the rays when the sky was overcast was much less than on a fine day and that with light cumulus clouds the combustion might be more active than with a clear blue sky or slight cirrus, so that it appeared evident that the chemical activity and hygienic power of the sun's rays are not related to the apparent fineness of the day.

Miscellaneous Collections.-Nine papers of the "Miscellaneous" series were issued and others are in progress. The completed works were Smithsonian Physical Tables, by Prof. Thomas Gray; Equipment and Work of an Aerophysical Observatory, by Alexander McAdie; Air in Relation to Human Life and Health, by Prof. F. A. R. Russell; Air of Towns, by Dr. J. B. Cohen; Air and Life, by Dr. Henri de Varigny; Mountain Observatories, by Prof. E. S. Holden; Methods of Determining Organic Matter in Air, by Dr. D. H. Bergey; Recalculation of Atomic Weights, by Prof. F. W. Clarke, and Virginia Cartography, by P. Lee Phillips.

The Catalogue of Scientific and Technical Periodicals, by Dr. H. Carrington Bolton, mentioned in my last report, is in type and will soon be published. It comprises the titles of more than 8,500 scientific and technical periodicals in all languages, adding 3,500 titles to the first edition published in 1885.

There is also completed, ready for the printer, a voluminous supplement to Dr. Bolton's Select Bibliography of Chemistry.

As a special work, there has been printed the International Exchange List of the Smithsonian Institution, being a list of the foreign correspondents, aggregating 9,414 learned societies, museums, universities, etc., with which American publications are exchanged.

Annual reports.-The Smithsonian Annual Report is in two volumes, one of which is devoted to the work of the National Museum. In the general appendix of Part I are included memoirs on all branches of knowledge, selected chiefly from publications of learned societies of the world that are not readily accessible to the public, the basis of selection being that the papers are written by a competent person, give an account of some important or at least interesting scientific discovery, are untechnical in language and suitable to nonprofessional readers.

The History of the First Half Century of the Smithsonian Institution, outlined with some detail in my last report, is now printed and will soon be issued. The Institution was founded August 10, 1846, by act of Congress approved by President Polk, and it seemed an appropriate memorial of the completion of its first fifty years to publish a volume which should give an account of its origin and history, its achievements, and its present condition.

The editorial supervision of the volume was undertaken by the late Dr. G. Brown Goode, and to his thorough acquaintance with the history of the Institution, and his skill and critical knowledge, the comprehensive plan of the work is entirely due. At the time of his death, in September, 1896, the manuscript was sufficiently advanced to permit of its completion on his general plan.

The volume is royal octavo of 866 pages, with a preface by William McKinley, President of the United States, ex-officio the head of the establishment. It is illustrated by full-page portraits of James Smithson, the Chancellors, several of the Regents, the three Secretaries, and of Assistant Secretary Goode, besides illustrations of the Smithsonian building and of the infra-red spectrum investigations by the present Secretary. The main divisions of the work are fifteen chapters, descriptive of the history of the Institution, and a like number of chapters giving appreciations of its work in the several branches of knowledge, mainly by persons not connected with the Institution, followed by an appendix of 8 pages narrating the principal events in its history.

Since it is impossible in a single volume to exhaust the subject, it became necessary to mention but briefly many topics which it was hoped might be elaborately treated. The book is printed from type in an edition of 2,000, with 250 additional copies on handmade paper. It is not classed in either of the regular series of Smithsonian publications, and will receive a special rather than a general distribution. This course is found necessary by reason of the cost of the work.

The Annual Report of the Museum for 1894, which includes several special papers by Museum officers or collaborators, has been issued, and the Museum has published a volume of Proceedings, and separate papers of other volumes, besides two octavo and two quarto bulletins, the contents of all of which are given elsewhere.

The Bureau of Ethnology has published three reports, the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth, bringing the work down to the close of the fiscal year 1894–95.

The Annual Report of the American Historical Association for 1895 has been published, and the report for 1896 has been sent to the printer. These reports are transmitted by the secretary of the association to the Secretary of the Institution, who submits the whole or portions of the reports to Congress, in accordance with the act of incorporation of the association. Prior to the report for 1894 the Institution had no share in the distribution of these volumes, but, beginning with the report for 1894, a limited number is available for purposes of exchange by the Institution with historical and other learned societies of the world. The reports contain papers relating to American history or to the study of history in America. A most important contribution in the report for 1895 is a bibliography of the historical societies of the United States and British America, covering 561 printed pages, which is a very useful reference work for writers and students of American history.

LIBRARY.

The library continues to grow steadily, the accessions in volumes, parts of volumes, pamphlets, and charts reaching 35,912 during the past year. Special mention should be made of the gift of Mr. S. Patcanof, of St. Petersburg, of over 300 volumes, consisting mostly of oriental works and including some Arabic manuscripts and many rare Armenian publications.

As stated in my last report, the Secretary of State had named, in accordance with my suggestion, Dr. John S. Billings, United States Army, retired, director of the New York Public Library, and Prof. Simon Newcomb, United States Navy, Superintendent of the Nautical Almanac, as the delegates of the United States to a conference to be held at the instance of the British Government at London in July, 1896, to consider the preparation of an international catalogue of scientific literature. This conference met July 14 to 17, 1896, twenty-two countries being represented. The conference drew up a plan which the respective delegates submitted to the countries they represented. The report of Professor Newcomb and Doctor Billings, submitted to the Secretary of State October 15, 1896, recommended that the United States Government should take part in this work, and that the Smithsonian Institution be made the agent of the Government in this important scientific enterprise.

In accordance with this suggestion the Secretary of State invited my opinion as to the propriety and feasibility of the United States taking part in this work through the Smithsonian Institution, and requested an estimate of the probable expense attendant thereto. To this I replied that I fully concurred in the view of the delegates as to the great importance of a successful execution of the conclusions of the conference and as to the propriety of this Government taking its share of the proposed work by providing for the cataloguing of the scientific publications of the United States. This opinion is strengthened by the fact that the recommendations made are due to results emanating from an international conference, at which the United States was officially represented, and by the further considerations that the benefits to be derived from this undertaking are not only great and far-reaching for the scientific progress of America, but also of universal value, and that all the great and many of the smaller nations will take part in the work. I recognized also the propriety of the suggestion that the Government should employ the Smithsonian Institution as an agent in this matter, particularly since the Institution first suggested this subject in 1855, and since it has been from its earliest organization interested in scientific bibliography.

I was, however, reluctant to commit the Institution to the appearance of soliciting Congress in this matter in any case, or to the undertaking of the enterprise, however worthy, unless provision could be made for the necessary expenses of the work. After considering the

subject, it seemed to me that the work, if assigned to the Smithsonian Institution, would require a person of special qualifications to immediately assist the Secretary, together with a number of trained clerical assistants, and that the salaries for these persons and the expenses incident to the work would require an appropriation of not less than $10,000 per annum.

In accordance with this recommendation, Secretary Olney transmitted this correspondence to Congress. Although the catalogue will not begin until 1900, much preliminary work will be necessary. I have accordingly brought the matter to the attention of Secretary Sherman, and the Department of State has agreed to submit an item for this purpose in its regular estimates for the year 1898–99.

Although the new building for the Library of Congress was completed in February, 1897, its occupancy had not begun at the close of the fiscal year. The east stack was provisionally assigned for the Smithsonian collection of transactions. In the past only this portion of the Smithsonian Library has been kept together, the remainder of the collection being distributed throughout the Library of Congress. I trust that in the new building, with its ample space and largely increased force, it will be found possible, in accordance with the resolution of the Regents in 1889, to assemble the entire collection in one place.

CORRESPONDENCE.

In 1855 (February 24) the Board of Regents adopted the following resolution:

Resolved, That all correspondence of this Institution with any person or society shall be conducted by the Secretary, and no assistant or employee shall write or receive any official letter or communication pertaining to the affairs of the Institution except under the authority and by the direction of the Secretary; and all such correspondence shall be duly registered and recorded in such manner as the Secretary shall direct.

The Secretary has given much care to organizing a system of correspondence which would insure that letters should receive prompt replies, and that a record of receipt, subject, and date of reply shall be kept in such a form as to be readily accessible. The system in question was fully described in my report for 1890, and its adoption has proved of the greatest convenience during the seven years it has been in operation.

The correspondence has greatly increased during the past few years,

Resolved, That since the Smithsonian deposit now numbers over 250,000 titles, and is still increasing at the cost of the Institution, it is, in the opinion of the Regents, desirable that in the new building for the Library of Congress sufficient. provision shall be made for its accommodation and increase in a distinct hall or halls, worthy of the collections, and such as, while recalling to the visitor the name of Smithson, shall provide such facilities for those consulting the volumes as will aid in his large purpose of the diffusion of knowledge among men,

both in regard to such letters as directly concern the Institution proper and also the mass of correspondence which, though pertaining more particularly to the Museum and other bureaus, must nevertheless receive the attention of the Secretary's office.

A very unusual number of letters has been received from all parts of the country seeking information both on scientific matters and on political, economic, historical, and other questions in almost every branch of knowledge. Many correspondents have the impression that the Institution is a bureau of general information, and in dealing with this class the policy has been to courteously answer all queries legiti mately within the range of the Institution, in other cases referring inquirers to possible sources of information.

Of the more important correspondence of the Secretary's office, 3,834 entries were made in the registry book of letters received, while many times that number were received and referred to the different bureaus of the Institution.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Nashville Exposition.-The Institution participated in the Tennessee Centennial Exposition at Nashville during the summer of 1897, under act of Congress making appropriation for a General Government exbibit. Accounts of the exhibit will be given after the close of the exposition. Glorer Collection.-A very valuable and interesting collection of Chinese coins, bequeathed to the Smithsonian Institution by the late Mr. George B. Glover, of the Chinese Imperial maritime customs service, has been received from the estate. It is believed that this collection is the most perfect of its kind in existence. It includes 2,025 specimens of Chinese, Annamese, Siamese, Japanese, and Korean coins; amulets and bamboo tally sticks used as money; Chinese paper money; foreign coins in circulation in China; and molds for casting coins. The series dates back to about the year 770 B. C., the earliest authentic period of coinage. The peculiarly shaped bronze pieces, representing knives, cloth, and other objects used as money are fully represented, and the series is continuous in the coinage of each dynasty for more than 2,600 years.

Catalogue of Egyptian papyri and royal antiquities.—In April, 1896, the Egyptian minister of foreign affairs addressed a communication to the representatives of all foreign Governments at Cairo, pointing out the desirability of a complete catalogue of Egyptian papyri and royal antiquities, and inviting the cooperation of the various Governments in securing the information needed for such a work, the editing and publication to be undertaken by the administration of antiquities of Egypt. The consul-general of the United States informed the Egyptian Government that the hearty cooperation of the United States could be relied upon, and, in his dispatch to the Department of State, suggested that the Smithsonian Institution might be willing to collect the desired information,