y practical way of solving the
question of art and science for the city. The Metropolitan Museum of
Art and the American Museum of Natural History are in the hands of
the most respectable citizens of New York. It would not be possible to
find a body of men of more unimpeachable integrity and greater
worth, than the gentlemen who have founded these two societies. It is
impossible that they should lend their names to anything that will
not bear the closest scrutiny; hence the proposition, now before the
Legislature, to put up buildings for them, at a cost of a million
dollars, must attract unusual attention. If the State would
appropriate the money to these corporations, giving them the control
of its expenditure, we should have considerably more confidence in its
honest administration than, we are grieved to say, we can feel under
the present circumstances; and if we knew what other institutions
are to have the remaining portions of Manhattan Square, it would be a
great relief to our minds.

"We fear the Greeks bringing gifts," but are willing to accept the
gifts, if the officers of the two organizations are certain that it is
all right.

The need of a Museum of Natural History, and of a Gallery of Art, in
New York, is so pressing that there is some danger of our accepting
the appropriations without a proper regard to consequences. The Court
House is not yet finished, and the foundations of the Post-office are
scarcely laid.

* * * * *

REPORT OF THE JUDGES OF GROUP 1, DEPARTMENT V. OF THE EXHIBITION OF
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR 1870. THE ALLEN ENGINE.

The labors of the judges in this department were much lighter in the
last exhibition than in the preceding one, and we are happy to say,
were, in our opinion, so far as the award of premiums is concerned,
much more fairly performed. The award of two first premiums to two
competing engines could scarcely be repeated this time, as there was
in reality no competition. The Allen engine was the only important
one entered, and of course received the first premium. The engine is,
however, one that evidently could have competed favorably with those
previously exhibited.

We are in receipt of advanced sheets of the judges' report pertaining
to the critical examination of this engine, being a record and account
of experiments performed under the supervision of Washington Lee, C. E.
The experiments were very comprehensive, and comprise