The letter of the chairman of the board will give to Congress the history of its organization, the law and Executive orders under which it has acted, and the steps which have been taken to preserve the large and instructive collections made, with a view to their forming a part of a national museum, should Congress make the necessary appropriations for such a desirable object.

U.S.  GRANT.

WASHINGTON, February 15, 1877.

To the Senate of the United States: 

I transmit herewith, in answer to the resolution of the Senate of the 13th instant, a report from the Secretary of State, with accompanying papers.[122]

U.S.  GRANT.

[Footnote 122:  Statements of appropriations and expenditures of the Department of State from March 4, 1789, to June 30, 1876, inclusive.]

WASHINGTON, February 23, 1877.

To the Senate and House of Representatives: 

I transmit herewith a report from the Secretary of State, bearing date the 20th instant, with its accompaniments, being the report of the commissioner of the United States and of the officers of engineers attached to the commission appointed to determine the boundary line between the United States and the possessions of Great Britain from the northwest angle of the Lake of the Woods to the summit of the Rocky Mountains.  These reports announce the completion of the labors of this commission, whereby the entire boundary line between the United States and the possessions of Great Britain is marked and determined, except as to that part of the territory of the United States which was ceded by Russia under the treaty of 1867.

U.S.  GRANT.

WASHINGTON, February 24, 1877.

To the House of Representatives: 

I transmit herewith, in answer to the resolution of the House of
Representatives of the 25th ultimo, a report from the Secretary of
State, with accompanying papers.[123]

U.S.  GRANT.

[Footnote 123:  Correspondence, etc., connected with the agency of A.B.  Steinberger in the Samoan Islands.]

EXECUTIVE MANSION, February 26, 1877.

To the Senate of the United States: 

I have the honor to return herewith Senate bill No. 234, entitled “An act to allow a pension of $37 per month to soldiers who have lost both an arm and a leg.”  Under existing law soldiers who have lost both an arm and a leg are entitled to draw a monthly pension of $18.  As the object of this bill is to allow them $18 per month for each of these disabilities, or $36 in all, it is returned simply for an amendment of title which shall agree with its provisions.  When this shall have been done, I will very gladly give it my immediate approval.

U.S.  GRANT.

WASHINGTON, February 28, 1877.

To the Senate of the United States: 

In answer to the resolution[124] of the Senate of the 27th instant, I transmit herewith a report of the Secretary of State, together with the papers which accompanied it.