of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. It is estimated that the work on the compilation first mentioned will comprehend 120 volumes. This work has been going on since 1874, the first volume being published in 1880. The work on the naval records is but barely begun, but it is being pursued along the same lines as those laid down for the compilation of the army records.
department of the interior.
The chief contributions of this department to social science, other than those of the census, have been made through the Bureau of Education, which publishes an annual report, special reports, circulars of information, and miscellaneous documents. The annual reports contain the statistics of the schools, colleges and other institutions of learning in the United States. The special reports are exceedingly valuable, both from an educational point of view, relating simply to school or college work, and in a wider sense. Among the chief special publications are those on art in industry, criminology, etc. The circulars of information embrace among their number two regular series—first, reports of the proceedings of the Department of Superintendence of the National Educational Association; second, the history of higher education in the United States. A separate number is devoted to each state or territory, and as these numbers are prepared they are issued as circulars of information.
Information as to the settlement of lands, an important feature of social science, is obtainable through the publications of the General Land Office. The regular annual report of the Commissioner furnishes current information as to sales, settlements, and quantities of land still unassigned, while in special reports information as to laws relating to the settlement of lands may be found, together with the whole history of the land system of the government public lands, condition of the national domain, and everything relating to the action of government in settling the vast territory belonging to the people.
