The Report of the Cabinet-Keeper was read:

REPORT OF THE CABINET-Keeper.

During the past year gifts have been received for the Cabinet as follows:

A marble bust of James Savage, President of the Massachusetts Historical Society from 1841 to 1855, a reproduction by F. C. Recchia, of Boston, of the original, modelled by John C. King for the Provident Institution for Savings, now in its possession. Given by Mrs. William B. Rogers.

A medal struck in commemoration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of the Jews in the United States. Given by the American Jewish Historical Society.

A photograph of a memorial stone to Joseph Hills and Dr. John Sprague, erected by Deloraine P. Corey on the lawn of the First Baptist Church, Malden, September, 1905. Given by Mr. Corey.

A bronze medal, by Tiffany & Company, New York, struck by Act of Congress in commemoration of the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of Benjamin Franklin. Given by the American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia.

An engraving of the Earl of Buchan (a Corresponding Member of this Society, 1808-1829), by J. Finlayson, published November 22, 1765, after a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds, bearing the inscription: "To J. Otis, Esquire of Boston, &c. &c. in New England as a mark of my Attachment to the cause of Liberty & its friends." Given by Mrs. William B. Rogers.

An oil portrait of Mrs. Mary Ann (Faneuil) Jones, a sister of Peter Faneuil, painted by Smibert, a companion to our painting of Faneuil by the same artist, given in 1835 by Charles Faneuil and Eliza Jones. Given by Miss Mary Ann Jones, a great-granddaughter.

Six cancelled steel plates of the Cambridge City Bank used in printing bills, $1, $2, $3, $5, $10, $20. Given by George Eliot Richardson.

An engraving, entitled "A Prospect of the Colledges in Cambridge in New England," by Sidney L. Smith, 1906, after a colored print in the possession of this Society, inscribed to William Dummer, ActingGovernor, 1726, by W. Burgis. Given by Charles E. Goodspeed.

A photogravure portrait of Robert C. Winthrop, Jr., by A. W. Elson & Company, after a crayon sketch by B. C. Porter, 1877, (a large India paper impression of the portrait which appears in the Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts.) Given by Henry H. Edes.

Six cancelled steel plates of the Hamilton Bank, Boston, used in printing bills since 1830. Given by Henry G. Denny.

Four photographs: one of Governor John Hancock, two of Thomas Hancock, and one of Mrs. Lydia Henchman Hancock, of Boston, all from portraits by John Singleton Copley, formerly belonging to Washington Hancock, of London, England. Given by Thomas Minns. An oil portrait of the Rev. Edmund F. Slafter by F. W. Simmons, bequeathed to the Society by Dr. Slafter.

A copperplate engraving, from the unfinished plate by Edward Savage belonging to this Society, of Congress voting Independence; printed November 8, 1906, by John A. Lowell & Company. Given by Charles E. Goodspeed.

Gilbert Stuart's snuff-box, bearing on the cover an engraving with the legend," Com. Perry Capturing the Whole of the British fleet on Lake Erie, September 10, 1813"; on the bottom is engraved a letter of his of the same date speaking of the victory. A manuscript inside the box says: "At one time he lived in Roxbury, and was an intimate friend of Joseph Ruggles, Jr., and they exchanged snuff boxes, because J. R. had one which opened with a hinge, and G. S. preferred it to this one."

Two silver spoons saved by Miss Relief Ellery, on the morning of June 17, 1775, when the firing on Charlestown caused her to leave her home there; Faneuil Hall Lottery tickets, January, 1768, signed by Joseph Jackson; a bill of the United States, January 14, 1779, $65; of Massachusetts Bay, May 5, 1780, $20; of New Jersey, March 25, 1776, one shilling, and three shillings; of the Kirtland (Ohio) Safety Society Bank, March 7, 1837, $1. Given by Miss Anna Sophia Everett.

A photograph of a part of the Flag of the Third New York regiment, 1778 or 1779, carried at Yorktown in 1781, showing the arms painted alike on both sides of the flag; photographed by Lorey, Albany, January, 1907, from the original in the possession of Mrs. Abraham Lansing of that city. Two photographs of a part of the flag of the Second Battalion, Second Connecticut Regiment, showing the arms of the Colony on one side and on the other the letters, "II. Bat. II Reg: Connecticut Raised 1640." Given by Gherardi Davis.

A bronze medal to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Thomas Robbins, D.D. Given by the Connecticut Historical Society.

During the year Mr. William Sumner Appleton has arranged the collection of coins and medals bequeathed to this Society by his father, and I have received from him the following letter:

BOSTON, 9 April, 1907.

DEAR MR. NORCROSS, I have just finished arranging the coins for you, and now write very briefly to tell you in what order I have placed them.

I began with the Colonial coinage and then the early American tokens. This was the portion of the collection which appealed most strongly to my father, and it is accordingly the best represented. Perhaps the most valuable piece of the lot is the N. E. III pence, of which but one other specimen is known, namely, that in the possession of Yale College. It seems peculiarly fortunate that there should be one specimen of this coin still within the limits of the Commonwealth. I cannot at the moment recall another collection of Massachusetts coins accessible to the public anywhere in the state. The other gems in this part of the collection are too numerous to mention, but they include many pieces of which less than a half dozen specimens are known to exist.

Next follow the regular series of U. S. coins and Pattern pieces, of which the most valuable is undoubtedly the 1804 dollar. This is the best known of the few originals, and came from the Mickley collection. Other rarities are beautiful specimens of the scarce 1796 and 1797 half dollars, the latter being probably the finest known. Scarce cents include uncirculated 1793s of scarce varieties, choice 1799 and 1804, etc.

Next in order I have placed the later American tokens, store cards, etc., and after these the bulk of the American medals. I have made no attempt to classify these medals. They can be arranged in many different ways, and if you wish, I shall be glad to look them over at some later date when I have the time. Prominent among these medals is the so-called "Diplomatic medal." This medal is excessively rare, if not indeed unique. I know my father valued this piece very highly, and described it fully at a meeting of your Society.

These represent a

Next in order come the Washington medals. curious and interesting assemblage of good, bad, and indifferent pieces. Their values vary fully as much as their artistic merit. A number of these medals are unique. The Washington medals are arranged in the order in which they are described in my father's printed catalogue, of which the Society has a copy. A printed number laid beside the medal refers it to the catalogue. As the collection doubled in size after the catalogue was printed, there are many pieces not in proper place.

Following these medals I have arranged the Washington and Lafayette medals. As their number is not very large, I have made no attempt to arrange them in any special order.

The Admiral Vernon medals bring up the rear.

Altogether there are about 3,423 coins and medals and 987 pieces of paper money, the whole of which were valued for the estate at about $15,419.75.

In conclusion let me make the following suggestion. As the collection will probably be examined from time to time by persons with little or no knowledge of numismatics, it would be well that they should all be warned to touch only the edges of the coins, never the faces.

Believe me

Yours very truly,

(Signed) WM. SUMNER APPLETON.

The Appleton collection and the cabinet containing miscellaneous coins already owned by the Society have been placed in the small room on the third floor.

The Cabinet room on the ground floor is much crowded, and I hope that in the near future the Society may see its way to build an addition on the land in the rear already owned by it, thus enlarging the room for the Cabinet.

BOSTON, April 11, 1907.

Respectfully submitted,

GRENVILLE H. NORCROSS.

Mr. WALDO LINCOLN, chairman of the Committee appointed to examine the Library and Cabinet, presented their Report:

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY AND CABINET.

The Committee appointed to examine the Library and Cabinet of the Society has attended to its duties with the courteous assistance of the Librarian, Dr. Green, and the Cabinet-Keeper, Mr. Norcross.

The Cabinet is as well arranged as is possible in the limited space devoted to it. It is unfortunate that so valuable and interesting a collection should be so crowded together as to lose much of its character, and, if more room can possibly be found for its display, it seems advisable to distribute it through other rooms. Possibly the upper halls and the room lately vacated by the Academy of Arts and Sciences could be safely used for this purpose, or perhaps some of the articles could, with not too great inconvenience, be kept in Ellis Hall.

The Society having during the past year come into possession of the valuable Appleton collection of coins, the Committee, at the suggestion of Mr. Norcross, who professes to have no

great knowledge of numismatics, advises the appointment of a curator of coins, one of whose duties would be to keep the collection of American coins and medals up to date, a matter which will entail but slight annual expense and in the end may prove of great value.

As

Of the Library but little needs to be said. During the year the greater part of the Society's Library has been removed to the steel stack formerly used by the Academy of Arts and Sciences, leaving many of the old wooden cases vacant. the Committee understands that the Society carries no insurance on its collections, it would seem safer to remove the unused cases and to replace those in use, as rapidly as may be practical, with steel cases uniform with those used for the newspapers and Rebellion records.

A very commendable method of preserving our early and most valuable files of newspapers has been adopted during the past year, which provides much greater safety against damage by their use, and room for the insertion, without rebinding, of missing numbers as they are gradually acquired.

There are in our Library nearly five hundred volumes of bound pamphlets, averaging ten pamphlets to a volume, which are counted only as so many volumes. As in most libraries such pamphlets are counted as individual volumes, we advise the adoption of the same system, that our Library may have credit for its real size and importance.

April, 1907.

WALDO LINCOLN.

R. B. MERRIMAN. LINDSAY SWIFT.

Mr. THOMAS L. LIVERMORE, chairman of the Committee to nominate officers for the ensuing year, presented the following list of candidates, who were duly elected by ballot:

For President.

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

For Vice-Presidents.

SAMUEL ABBOTT GREEN.

JAMES FORD RHODES.

For Recording Secretary.

EDWARD STANWOOD.