reported as being of great value in the
determination of data and the solution of problems of interest to the
people of the whole country, and the special attention of Congress
is called to the necessity of an appropriation to enable the War
Department to make use of it. An estimate of $20,000 for the purpose
was submitted to Congress in the last Book of Estimates (see p. 82),
and an appropriation of that sum is respectfully recommended.

The act of July 31, 1876 (19 U.S. Statutes at Large, ch. 246, p. 119),
made an appropriation for completing the experiments in testing
iron, steel, and other metals, and provided that the board should
be discontinued from and after the expenditure of the amount
appropriated. In accordance with this legislation, the board ceased to
exist on the 30th of June, 1879.

R.B. HAYES.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, January 21, 1880_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

I transmit, for the consideration of the Senate with a view to
ratification, a convention between the United States of America
and the French Republic for the settlement of certain claims of the
citizens of either country against the other.

R.B. HAYES.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _January 26, 1880_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

In reply to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 21st
instant, requesting the Commissioner of Agriculture to furnish all
information which he may have in his possession bearing upon the
culture of the sugar beet, etc., the accompanying letter and report,
received from the Acting Commissioner of Agriculture for this purpose,
are herewith transmitted.

R.B. HAYES.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 5, 1880_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

In reply to a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 3d
instant, requesting the Commissioner of Agriculture to forward any
facts or statistics in his office on the subject of forestry not
heretofore published from his Department, the following report,
received from the Commissioner, upon this subject is hereby
transmitted.

R.B. HAYES.

WASHINGTON, _February 16, 1880_.

_To the House of Representatives of the United States_:

In compliance with the resolution of the House of Representatives of
the 5th instant, calling for any information which I may have received
of the proceedings of the International Polar Congress convened in
Hamburg, Germany, October 1, 1879, I transmit herewith a report from
t