AGENTS FOR TRANSMISSION, &C.-Continued. Shipping agents. Hamburg-American Steam Packet Company (Kunhardt & Co.), New York. Joseph S. Spinner, New York Spanish consul, San Francisco (of fered). Consul Gustav Amsink, New York... Hon. A. McAllister, Queensland department, London. Wm. Ropes & Co., New York R. W. Cameron & Co., New York Hamburg American Steam Packet North German Lloyd (Schumacher & Co.), Baltimore. Consul von Heyman, Bremen. J. Chrysoveloni & Co., Liverpool Crown agents for the colonies, Lon don. Turkish Minister, Washington. R. W. Cameron & Co., New York ACTS AND RESOLUTIONS OF CONGRESS RELATIVE TO THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS, SESSION II. PUBLIC RESOLUTION-No. 6. JOINT RESOLUTION filling an existing vacancy in the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the existing vacancy in the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, of the class other than members of Congress, shall be filled by the appointment of NOAH PORTER, of Connecticut, in place of JAMES D. DANA, resigned. Approved, January 26, 1878. PUBLIC RESOLUTION-No. 15. JOINT RESOLUTION filling an existing vacancy in the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the existing vacancy in the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, of the class other than members of Congress, shall be filled by the appointment of WILLIAM T. SHERMAN, of the city of Washington, in place of GEORGE BANCROFT, of said city, resigned. Approved, March 25, 1878. FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS, SESSION III. CHAPTER 21. AN ACT authorizing the Chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution to appoint an Acting Secretary in certain cases. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in the case of the death, resignation, sickness, or absence of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, the Chancellor thereof shall be, and he is hereby, authorized to appoint some person as Acting Secretary, who for the time being shall be clothed with all the powers and duties which by law are devolved upon the Secretary, and he shall hold, said position until an election of Secretary shall be duly made, or until the Secretary shall be restored to his health, or, if absent, shall return and enter upon the duties of his office. Approved, January 24, 1879. REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION FOR THE YEAR 1878. The Executive Committee of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution respectfully submit the following report in relation to the funds of the Institution, the appropriations by Congress for the support of the National Museum, the receipts and expenditures for both the Institution and the Museum for the year 1878, and the estimates for the year 1879: Statement of the condition of the funds at the beginning of the year 1879. Smithson, of England, deposited in the Treasury of the Residuary legacy of Smithson, received in 1865, deposited Total bequest of Smithson.... Amount deposited in the Treasury of the United States as Amount of the bequest of James Hamilton, of Carlisle, Pa., Total permanent Smithson fund in the United States In addition to the above, there remains of the extra fund, Consolidated bonds Deferred certificates.. Fractional certificate Total.... Valued January, 1879, at... $515,169 00 26, 210 63 $541,379 63 108, 620 37 1,000 00 $651,000 00 $58, 700 00 29, 375 07 50 13 88, 125 20 34, 000 00 19, 632 57 Also, the cash balance in the United States Treasury at the beginning of the year 1879 Total Smithson funds, January 8, 1879. $704, 632 57 RECEIPTS IN 1878. Interest on $650,000, for the year 1878, at 6 per cent., gold. Sale of coupons by Riggs & Co., for January 1 and July Interest 1878 Repayment by Library of Congress: $39,000 00 97 50 2,776 34 $60 00 15 60 15 For advances made for international exchanges in 1877. Balance on hand at the beginning of 1878.. 1, 781 00 25, 083 90 Publications, researches, and explorations..... 15, 732 92 Gallery of art.. 333 85 $49, 166 32 Cash balance, January 7, 1879.......... HAMILTON BEQUEST. Received from James Hamilton, February 24, 1874, and deposited with the Smithson fund in the Treasury of the United States... Interest received from February 24, 1874, to December 31, 1878 .... Appropriated in 1876 for exploration of cave near Carlisle, $19, 632 57 $1,000 00 306 32 $150 00 Appropriated in 1878 for exploration of steatite quarry in Virginia............ GENERAL EXPENSES. Meetings of the Board. Lighting the building. Heating the building Postage and telegraphing. Stationery .. Incidentals (ice, hauling, insurance, &c.) Salaries (including allowance to family of Profes sor Henry, $2,812.50). Extra clerk hire and labor Books and periodicals $399 25 260 80 593 37 395 54 797 96 642 03 14, 371 96 200 00 475 51 $18, 136 42 A larger expenditure for repairs of the building than was anticipated was made necessary by a violent and destructive storm which visited Washington last summer by which the finials or caps on some of the towers, and several hundred slates from the roof, were blown off, the lightning-rods detached, and much other damage done to the exterior of the building. Some alterations in the interior of the east wing have been made also. The expenses attending "international exchanges" have steadily increased, until they now absorb about one-fourth of the entire income of the Institution. It has, therefore, in accordance with authority given by the Board of Regents, been decided to make a charge of five cents a pound on all packages received or sent by the government departments, a measure rendered necessary on account of the great increase in bulk of the public documents sent by them. REPAYMENTS. The Institution has made temporary advances during the year for freight, &c., the repayment of which, with the amount received from |