building purchased by the government
for its use, but he found no chance of carrying this out.

After the death of Professor Henry the Institution grew rapidly
into a position in which it might almost claim to be a scientific
department of the government. The National Museum, remaining under
its administration, was greatly enlarged, and one of its ramifications
was extended into the National Zoological Park. The studies of
Indian ethnology, begun by Major J. W. Powell, grew into the Bureau
of Ethnology. The Astrophysical Observatory was established, in
which Professor Langley has continued his epoch-making work on the
sun's radiant heat with his wonderful bolometer, an instrument of
his own invention.

Before he was appointed to succeed Professor Henry, Professor Baird
was serving as United States Fish Commissioner, and continued to fill
this office, without other salary than that paid by the Smithsonian
Institution. The economic importance of the work done and still
carried on by this commission is too well known to need a statement.
About the time of Baird's death, the work of the commission was
separated from that of the Institution by providing a salary for
the commissioner.

We have here a great extension of the idea of an institution for
scientific publications and research. I recall once suggesting
to Professor Baird the question whether the utilization of the
institution founded by Smithson for carrying on and promoting such
government work as that of the National Museum was really the right
thing to do. He replied, "It is not a case of using the Smithsonian
fund for government work, but of the government making appropriations
for the work of the Smithsonian Institution." Between the two sides
of the question thus presented,--one emphasizing the honor done to
Smithson by expanding the institution which bears his name, and the
other aiming solely at the best administration of the fund which we
hold in trust for him,--I do not pretend to decide.

On the academic side of social life in Washington, the numerous
associations of alumni of colleges and universities hold a prominent
place. One of the earliest of these was that of Yale, which has held
an annual banquet every year, at least since 1877, when I first became
a member. Its membership at this time included Mr. W. M. Evarts, then
Secretary of State, Chief Justice Waite, Senator Dawes, and a number
of other men prominent in political life. The