Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 48.djvu/505

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THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.
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First Prize, of ten thousand dollars, for a treatise embodying some new and important discoveries in regard to the nature and properties of atmospheric air, to Lord Rayleigh, of London, and Prof. William Ramsay, of the University College, London, for the discovery of argon.

Second Prize, of two thousand dollars, not awarded, owing to the failure of any contestant to comply strictly with the terms of the offer.

Third Prize, of one thousand dollars, to Dr. Henry de Varigny, of Paris, for the best popular treatise upon atmospheric air, its properties and relationships. Dr. de Varigny's essay is entitled L'Air et la Vie.

Besides these capital prizes, three silver medals and six bronze medals, coupled with honorable mention, were awarded to gentlemen for essays of great merit. To name all those awarded honorable mention would occupy more space than at our command.

On November 7th, Lord Rayleigh and Prof. William Ramsay called at the United States embassy, London, and received from the Secretary a check for ten thousand dollars, communicated by the Smithsonian Institution. It was a fortunate circumstance that the Smithsonian had the opportunity of awarding the first prize for so momentous a discovery as that of argon.

Finances.—The Annual Report of the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents for the year ending June 30, 1895, gives the following as the financial status of the institution:

Total Funds in 1895.

Bequest of Smithson, 1846 $515,169
Residuary legacy of Smithson, 1867 26,210
Savings from income, 1867 108,620
Bequest of James Hamilton, 1875 1,000
Accumulated interest of the James Hamilton fund, 1895 1,000
Bequest of Simeon Habel, 1880 500
Sale of bonds, 1881 51,000
Gift of Thomas G. Hodgkins, 1891 200,000
Residuary legacy of T. G. Hodgkins, 1894 8,000
$911,499


Receipts in 1894-95.

Interest on fund, one year $54,473
International exchanges 17,000
Bureau of Ethnology 40,000
National Museum 166,500
Astro-physical Observatory 9,000
National Zoölogical Park 50,000
$336,973

In addition to the above funds the Smithsonian Institution will soon receive the proceeds of a bequest made by the late