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itol to the four cardinal points, in the same manner as done by the existing plan. The two portions of each street have the same initial letter and the same number of syllables. The second letter shows which end of the street is named, in this manner: If the second letter of the name pertains to the first half of the alphabet then this name belongs to the north or east end of the street. Or, in other words, the names are arranged alphabetically according to the natural order of the points of the compass, first the north or east end, second, the south or west end.

By the proposed plan no name extends over more than half the length or breadth of the city, and, therefore, designates the locality with considerable precision. One name shows the exact location and direction without any affixes or prefixes. The name of each avenue stops at the cardinal lines; so that no "east," "west," "northeast," northwest," &c., need to be applied to the avenues. The three avenues cut in two by the grounds at the Executive Mansion have separate names west of Seventeenth street, as those portions are so much isolated as to be in fact separate and distinct avenues.

The avenues are all named after States of the Union excepting the four avenues leading from the Capitol to the cardinal points. These have names of one, two, three, and four syllables, respectively, the same number as the names of the streets intersected by them. They also all commence with the lettter C. No streets or places are named after States.

Three objections may be offered to the foregoing plan:

1st. That the names are not well chosen, or are not pleasant, euphonious, or significant. The answer is, that they are open for improvement. Some that seem new or odd, will, when familiarized by use, be all the more characteristic and useful. A very large number are the names of our most distinguished men, including nearly all the presidents.

2d. That names of four syllables are too long. The answer to that is that we are in the daily habit of using names of streets containing six or seven syllables, without great difficulty, and that all other systems proposed involve names of more than four syllables. We now have "Twen-tysec-ond north-west," six syllables. One plan proposes to reduce that to, say, "for-ty-sev-enth, north," five syllables. This plan to "Van Ness," two syllables.

3d. That this plan is not simple enough to be fully practical. The answer is, that the plan is, in its practical use, simply an alphabetical arran gement of names of every-day use. The arrangement may be considered as alphabetical according to the initial letters only. The distinction according to the second letter of the name may be disregarded in practical use, although very convenient. Nearly every person would distinguish the two ends of a street by the name alone, and the least familiarity with the names of streets would enable any one to recollect that Adams street was "north" and Ashland street was "south," although the letters d and s would show it with certainty.

The number of syllables may be easily remembered as follows: Commence on the south or sunny side of the Capitol with one syllable and go around, with the sun, one, two, three, four, meaning south, west, north,

east.

The same thing would be easily learned by experience as soon as the name of one street in each section should be known. For instance, a person knowing the location of Warren street to be west of the Capitol would likewise know that all streets having, like Warren, two syllables, were also west of the Capitol.

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THE OPERATIONS, EXPENDITURES, AND CONDITION OF THE INSTITUTION

FOR

THE YEAR 1874.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION.

CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES,

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
February 27, 1875.

The following resolution, originating in the House of Representatives, February 24, 1875, has this day been concurred in by the Senate:

Resolved by the House of Representatives, (the Senate concurring,) That ten thousand five hundred copies of the report of the Smithsonian Institution for the year 1874 be printed, two thousand copies of which shall be for the use of the House of Representatives, one thousand for the use of the Senate, and seven thousand five hundred for the use of the Institution: Provided, That the aggregate number of pages of said report shall not exceed four hundred and fifty, and that there shall be no illustrations except those furnished by the Smithsonian Institution.

Attest:

EWD. MCPHERSON, Clerk.

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LETTER

FROM THE

SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION,

TRANSMITTING

The Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution for the year 1874.

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION,

Washington, January 26, 1875.

GENTLEMEN: In behalf of the Board of Regents, I have the honor to submit to the Congress of the United States the annual report of the operations, expenditures, and condition of the Smithsonian Institution for the year 1874.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOSEPH HENRY,
Secretary Smithsonian Institution.

Hon. HENRY WILSON,

President of the Senate.

Hon. J. G. BLAINE,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION FOR 1874.

This document contains:

1. The annual report of the Secretary, giving an account of the operations and condition of the establishment for the year 1874, with the sta tistics of collections, exchanges, meteorology, &c.

2. The report of the executive committee, exhibiting the financial affairs of the Institution, including a statement of the Smithson fund, the receipts and expenditures for the year 1874, and the estimates for 1875.

3. The proceedings of the Board of Regents.

4. A general appendix, consisting principally of reports of lectures, translations from foreign journals of articles not generally accessible, but of interest to meteorologists, correspondents of the Institution, teachers, and others interested in the promotion of knowledge.

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