MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. To the Senate and House of Representatives: I transmit herewith, for the information of the Congress, the third report of the United States Board on Geographic Names, constituted by Executive order of September 4, 1890. The attention of the Congress is invited to the recommendations of the Board that, in addition to the number of copies of the report printed for the use of the Congress, 2,500 copies be printed for the use of the Board, and that an annual appropriation of $2,500 be asked to enable the Board to conduct the necessary correspondence, make investigations of questions submitted, and prepare, print, and promptly distribute the decisions made by the Board. The WHITE HOUSE, December 5, 1905. THEODORE ROOSEVELT. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. To the PRESIDENT: WASHINGTON, D. C., November 29, 1905. I have the honor to transmit herewith the third report of the United States Board on Geographic Names, which includes all decisions made by the Board to date, and also contains an account of the origin, history, organization, methods, and principles of the Board. The Board respectfully recommends: First. That, in addition to the number of copies of this report printed for the use of Congress, 2,500 copies be printed for the use of the Board. Second. That, to conduct the necessary correspondence, make investigations of questions submitted, prepare, print, and promptly distribute the decisions as made, Congress be asked for an annual appropriation of $2,500. Respectfully submitted. HENRY GANNETT, Chairman. As it is desirable that uniform usage in regard to geographic nomenclature and orthography obtain throughout the Executive Departments of the Government, and particularly upon the maps and charts issued by the various Departments and bureaus, I hereby constitute a Board on Geographic Names and designate the following persons, who have heretofore co-operated for a similar purpose under the authority of the several Departments, bureaus, and institutions with which they are connected, as members of said Board: Prof. Thomas C. Mendenhall, United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, chairman. Andrew H. Allen, Department of State. Capt. Henry L. Howison, Light-House Board, Treasury Department. Capt. Thomas Turtle, Engineer Corps, War Department. Lieut. Richardson Clover, Hydrographic Office, Navy Department. Pierson H. Bristow, Post-Office Department. Otis T. Mason, Smithsonian Institution. Herbert G. Ogden, United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. Henry Gannett, United States Geological Survey. Marcus Baker, United States Geological Survey. To this Board shall be referred all unsettled questions concerning geographic names which arise in the Departments, and the decisions of the Board are to be accepted by these Departments as the standard authority in such matters. Department officers are instructed to afford such assistance as may be proper to carry on the work of this Board. The members of this Board shall serve without additional compensation, and its organization shall entail no expense on the Government. BENJ. HARRISON. EXECUTIVE MANSION, September 4, 1890. It is hereby ordered that there be added to the duties of the United States Board on Geographic Names, created by Executive order, dated September 4, 1890, the duty of determining, changing, and fixing place names within the United States and insular possessions, and it is hereby directed that all names hereafter suggested for any place by any officer or employee of the Government shall be referred to said Board for its consideration and approval before publication. In these matters, as in all cases of disputed nomenclature, the decisions of the Board are to be accepted by the Departments of Government as the standard authority. The WHITE HOUSE, January 23, 1906. THEODORE ROOSEVELT. |