excess of expenditures over income for the year of $22,423.56. The. total assets on June 30, 1924, were $2,293,101.95. Of this sum the land, building, and equipment were valued at $1,699,200.39. The investments of the endowment fund aggregated $560,395.59 and the balance of $57,319.55 was in current assets. The property of the university has been accumulated mainly through donations and the sale of and the increase in value of 128 acres of land originally purchased and subdivided by it. The annual congressional appropriations have been mainly for the payment of salaries, purchase of supplies, care of grounds, and other expenses. Three buildings, the greenhouse, and a portion of the equipment have been provided from Federal appropriations.

The solicitor for the department states in an opinion under date of June 7, 1923, as to the Howard University, the Secretary of the Interior has the following jurisdiction:

(1) To make visits and inspections of the institution; (2) to supervise and control all moneys appropriated for the institution by Congress; (3) to require and submit annual estimates for the expenditures of the following year; (4) and to demand, require, and receive from the institution's officers annual reports showing (a) the condition of the institution; (b) the number of pupils received and discharged or leaving the same for any cause during the preceding year and the number remaining therein; (c) the branches of knowledge and industry taught and the progress therein; and (d) the receipts of the institution, and from what sources, and its disbursements, and for what purposes.

COLUMBIA INSTITUTION FOR THE DEAF

Students. During the fiscal year July 1, 1923, through June 30, 1924, there were under instruction in the advanced department of the institution, known as Gallaudet College, 77 men and 48 women, a total of 125, representing the District of Columbia, Canada, and 35 States, a decrease of 9 compared with the preceding year. In the primary and grammar department, known as the Kendall School, there were under instruction 24 boys and 24 girls, a total of 48, a decrease of 4 compared with the preceding year. Of the total in this department, 44 were admitted as beneficiaries of the District of Columbia. There were admitted to the institution 32 males and 28 females; discharged, 30 males and 17 females.

Generally good health prevailed during the year. The usual course of instruction was carried out, with the addition of classes in analytic geometry and advanced mechanical drawing in the collegiate department. Attention was given to the special requirements of children in the primary department who have considerable hearing.

Needs. The institution needs the addition of a special instructor for the normal department as an addition to the faculty; and equip

.ment in the form of an additional typesetting machine is also needed on account of the great demand for instruction in that art. An administration building is greatly desired for the housing of the increasing library, supplying a room for social gatherings and additional recitation rooms, as well as rooms for offices, stores, etc.

At the conference of superintendents and principals of American Schools for the Deaf in January of 1924, it was urged that the normal training class, established in 1891, and successfully conducted, be enlarged to better meet the demand for well-educated and highly trained teachers of the deaf, and it was suggested that special research work be taken up to promote the general instruction of deaf children.

Research work. The National Research Council has agreed to finance special research work by Dr. Robert H. Gault, of Northwestern University, during the coming year in the line of understanding spoken sounds through the sense of touch. The council has also undertaken a survey of schools for the deaf, employing officers of the institution who have been granted leave of absence for carrying out this survey.

Alumni reunion.-A reunion of nearly 200 graduates and exstudents was held in the last part of June at the institution. The authorities of the college were urged to expand scientific instruction and to promote the use of English through the further employment of the manual alphabet. The alumni pledged themselves to further interest and support in providing a memorial for Edward Miner Gallaudet, formerly president of the institution.

At the close of the school year the degree of bachelor of arts was conferred upon 11 persons, the degree of bachelor of science to 4 persons, the degree of master of arts to 5 persons, and certificates of graduation were granted to 2 persons. The honorary degree of doctor of humane letters was conferred upon 3 persons, of doctor of laws to 1 person, of doctor of science to 2 persons, of master of science to 2 persons, and of master of arts to 1 person.

Receipts and expenses.-The total receipts of the disbursing agent for the year have been $147,843.35, including balance from previous year of $26.19. The total expenses of the disbursing agent for the year have been $147,714.55; balance on hand, $154.99. Balance on hand in treasurer's office is $1,591.63. The total expenses of the treasurer's office for the year have been $3,877.61, including $1,500 from a special pension fund for a member of the faculty of the college and two widows of professors.

MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

Section 2 of the act of Congress approved May 29, 1858 (11 Stat. 294), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to place for instruction

in an institution for the blind, in the State of Maryland or some other State, the indigent blind children of teachable age who are children of persons actually engaged in the military and naval service of the United States, and under section 4869, Revised Statutes of the United States, the blind children of teachable age belonging to the District of Columbia.

The act of May 26, 1908 (35 Stat. 295), making appropriations for the District of Columbia, provided that after July 1, 1908, a contract should be entered into by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia for the instruction, in Maryland or some other State, of indigent blind children of the District, appropriated $6.000 for the purpose, and repealed the permanent indefinite appropriation under section 3689 of the Revised Statutes. Inasmuch as the Secretary of the Interior, by section 2 of the act of May 29, 1858 (11 Stat. 293), was also charged with providing for the instruction of the blind children of all persons in the military and naval service of the United States while such persons are actually in such service, the expense to be defrayed from the permanent indefinite appropriation above referred to, the question was submitted to the Comptroller of the Treasury as to whether that appropriation was repealed so far as to be no longer available for the instruction of this class of beneficiaries. In an opinion rendered October 27, 1908, the Comptroller of the Treasury held that the act of May 26, 1908, supra, only repealed the provisions of section 3689 of the Revised Statutes to the extent that said section provides for the education of the blind children. of the District of Columbia, and that the permanent indefinite appropriation in question is still available for instructing the blind children of all persons in the military or naval service of the United States in some institution in Maryland or some other State, and that the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to continue to issue permits for the instruction of such children. No permits for this class of beneficiaries were issued during the last year.

THE ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

In the act making appropriations for the legislative branch of the Government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1923, and other purposes approved March 20, 1922, appropriations are made for the office of the Architect of the Capitol, the Capitol buildings and grounds, etc., so that since the 1st of July, 1922, the office of Architect of the Capitol has not been connected with the Interior Department except in the matter of the disbursement of the appropriations for that office and the work under it, which under exist

ing law, act of March 8, 1879 (20 Stat. 391), will continue to be disbursed by the chief disbursing clerk, Department of the Interior. Enlarging the Capitol grounds.-The act of August 26, 1912 (37 Stat. 594), imposes on the Secretary of the Interior the duty of renting until removed property acquired under the act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 739), and supplementary acts for the enlargement of the Capitol Grounds. During the fiscal year 1923 no properties additional to those acquired during 1916 and prior years were secured. As to properties in square 633, the title to which is in the United States, no action has yet been taken by the Superintendent of the Capitol Buildings and Grounds toward removing the buildings thereon, and they have accordingly been rented as far as practicable at reasonable rates.

Paragraph (e), section 1, of the act of May 16, 1918, entitled "An act to authorize the President to provide housing for war needs," is as follows:

(e) To take possession of, alter, repair, improve and suitably arrange for living purposes, to be used under the terms of this act, all houses on square 633, except the Maltby Building, owned by the United States, together with any other houses in the District of Columbia owned by the Government and not now occupied. The President shall, in the construction of buildings in the District of Columbia, make use of any lands owned by the Government of the United States deemed by him to be suitable for the purpose and which have not heretofore been dedicated by act of Cnogress for specific buildings.

In October of 1918, on the request of the president of the United States Housing Corporation, acting for the Secretary of Labor, all of the houses in square 633, bounded by New Jersey Avenue, B and C Streets NW., were turned over to that corporation to be repaired for occupancy under the provisions of the above-mentioned act, and improvements aggregating a total cost of $23,829.40 were made by the Housing Corporation to 11 of the houses in this square, to wit: Nos. 210, 212, 214, 216, 220, 222, 224, and 226 New Jersey Avenue NW.; Nos. 46 and 48 C Street NW.; and No. 235 Arthur Place NW.

In March, 1919, the Housing Corporation returned all of the buildings in square 633 to the Interior Department, and since March 5, 1919, the department has collected the rent from said houses.

The amounts collected for rents from these houses between December 1, 1922, to and including November 30, 1923, aggregating $6,182.50, have been deposited in the Treasury to the credit of miscellaneous receipts. A special report in relation thereto was submitted to Congress December 21, 1923. The report of the collections of rents for the period from December 1, 1923, to November 30, 1924, will be submitted to Congress when it convenes in December, 1924.

AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES

The act of June 8, 1906, entitled "An act for the preservation of American antiquities," provides, among other things:

SEC. 3. That permits for the examination of ruins, the excavation of archaeological sites, and the gathering of objects of antiquity upon the lands under their respective jurisdiction may be granted by the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and War to institutions which they may deem properly qualified to conduct such examination, excavation, or gathering, subject to such rules and regulations as they may prescribe: Provided, That the examinations, excavations, and gatherings are undertaken for the benefit of reputable museums, universities, colleges, or other recognized scientific or educational institutions, with a view to increasing the knowledge of such objects, and that the gatherings shall be made for permanent preservation in public museums.

SEC. 4. That the secretaries of the departments aforesaid shall make and publish from time to time uniform rules and regulations for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act.

Archaeological explorations.-The uniform rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and War, pursuant to the above-mentioned act, under date of December 28, 1906, provide (par. 3) that—

Permits for the excavation of ruins, the excavation of archaelogical sites, and the gathering of objects of antiquity will be granted by the respective secretaries having jurisdiction to reputable museums, universities, colleges or other recognized scientific or educational institutions, or to their duly authorized agents.

The following warning has been posted on and in the vicinity of ruins located on public lands, to-wit:

WARNING. This ancient ruin is located on public land. It belongs to youhelp protect it.

All persons are warned that it is unlawful to remove any object from, excavate upon, damage, destroy, or remove any portion of, an ancient ruin located on lands owned and controlled by the Government of the United States. except under permit issued in accordance with the act of Congress approved June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225); that any person violating this law may be arrested by an officer of the United States, and may be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than 90 days, or may suffer both fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. Help preserve for the future the records of the past.

Permits granted.-During the year six permits were granted for the examination, excavation, and gathering of specimens, as follows:

January 30, 1924, to Dr. Clark Wissler, American Museum of Natural History, New York, N. Y., to continue during 1924 his archaeological investigations and the taking of specimens from the ruins of the Navajo Indian Reservation, N. Mex., including authority to work over the talus of the slope in front of Mummy Cave in Canyon del Muerto, and in adjacent parts of the canyon, the loca