For the procurement of chemical and philosophical appa ratus, models, &c., your committee recommend, for the present, an appropriation of four thousand dollars. If the funds permit, four thousand dollars more, your committee think, might profitably be appropriated for this object before the opening of the institution.

Before concluding their report, your committee desire to add a few words touching the duty and qualifications of one of the officers of the institution.

Inasmuch as the Chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution, being a regent, can receive no salary for his services, it results, almost necessarily, that the Secretary should become its chief executive officer. The charter seems to have intended that he should occupy a very responsible position; granting, as it does, to the Secretary, in conjunction with the Chancellor, the power to determine the necessity, and the amount, of appropriations made for the purposes of the institution.

The office of Secretary must, in the opinion of your com mittee, be regarded, not as one to be filled by any man capable to act as recording clerk, or to receive, with politeness, the visitors of the institution, or to reply, with mechanical propriety, to its correspondents; but as an office on the due administration of which the executive efficiency of our institution at home and its reputation abroad, mainly depend; an office, then, demanding, in its incumbent, weight of character and a high grade of talent.

To secure such stamp of talent as your committee consider essential in a Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, it may be necessary to attach to the office a considerable salary. The best talent, in any country, ever commands a high remuneration; and though money cannot always command talent, it is, as a general rule, one of the elements necessary to obtain it. Inadequate character and qualifications are not worth purchasing, at any rate, no matter how low. The money spent to procure them is utterly cast away.

Your committee think it would be an advantage if a competent Secretary could be found, combining also the qualifications of a professor of the highest standing in some branch of science. If to these be added efficiency as an executive officer and a knowledge of the world, we may hope to see filling this distinguished post a man, who, when brought into communication with distinguished men and societies in this and other countries, shall be capable, as representative of the Smithsonian Institution, to reflect

honor on the office, not requiring to borrow distinction from it.

Your committee will not withhold their opinion, that upon the choice of this single officer, more probably than on any one other act of the board, will depend the future good name and success and usefulness of the Smithsonian Institution.

A similar view, your committee believe, has been taken of this matter by the principal scientific societies throughout the world. Newton disdained not to answer, at much length, the friendly and able criticisms on some of his theories addressed to him by Oldenburg, first Secretary of the London Royal Society; and the name of Arago, Secretary of the Academy of Sciences, of Paris, is known and honored wherever science extends her sway. All which is respectfully submitted,

ROBERT DALE OWEN,

Chairman.

The following resolutions, appended to the report of the committee and recommended for adoption, were, after debate, passed by the board:

Resolved, That it is expedient, and demanded by the will of the testator, that, in our plan of organization, the increase of knowledge by original research should form an essential feature; that, in furtherance of this object, premiums be offered at such times and to such amounts as the board may hereafter decide, for original papers, containing positive additions to the sum of human knowledge; and that these, together with other suitable papers, be published in Transactions of the institution, to be entitled Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge," and to be issued periodically or occasionally, in quarto form, as materials may be obtained.

Resolved, That it is within the strict purpose of the trust, and may materially advance its legitimate objects, occasionally to make specific appropriations for definite lines of research, the results to be published as above.

Resolved, That, with a view to the diffusion of knowledge, there may properly be included in the plan of organization the issuing of publications, in brief and popular form, on subjects of general interest.

Resolved, That, with similar object, there may also properly be included in the plan of organization the issuing of periodical reports, containing records of the progress of knowledge in its different branches.

Resolved, That there may also properly be included in the plan free lectures, to be delivered by competent persons, on useful subjects; and that it may advantageously be made a part of the duty of the Secretary and his assistants, to give, in the lecture rooms of the institution, at stated periods, illustrations of discoveries in science, and important inventions in the arts.

Besides the above resolutions, originally reported by the Committee on Organization, the following additional resolutions, submitted by a member of the Committee on Organization, as a compromise between two great conflicting opinions, were adopted by the committee, and passed by the board:

Resolved, That it is the intention of the act of Congress establishing the institution, and in accordance with the design of Mr. Smithson, as expressed in his will, that one of the principal modes of executing the act and the trust, is the accumulation of collections of specimens and objects of natural history and of elegant art, and the gradual formation of a library of valuable works pertaining to all departments of human knowledge, to the end that a copious storehouse of materials of science, literature, and art, may be provided, which shall excite and diffuse the love of learning among men, and shall assist the original investigations and efforts of those who may devote themselves to the pursuit of any branch of knowledge.

Resolved, That, for the purpose of carrying into effect the two principal modes of executing the act and trust pointed out in the resolutions herewith submitted, the permanent appropriations out of the accruing interest shall, so soon as the buildings are completed, be annually as follows, that is to say: First. For the formation of a library composed of valuable works pertaining to all departments of useful knowledge, and for the procuring, arranging, and preserving of the various collections of the institution, as well of natural history and objects of foreign and curious research and of elegant art, as others, including salaries and all other general expenses connected with the same, excepting those of the first complete arrangement of all such collections and objects as now belong to the United States, in the museum of the institution, when completed, together with one-half of the salary of the Secretary, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars.

Secondly. For the preparation and publication of transactions, reports, and all other publications of the institution, including appropriations for original researches, and premiums for original papers; for the delivery of all lectures and payment of all lecturers; and for all general expenses connected with said lectures and publications, together with one-half of the salary of the Secretary, the remainder of the annually accruing interest :* it being understood that all general and incidental expenses not specially connected with either of the above two great divisions of the plan of the institution, shall be equally divided between them.

Resolved, That it is the opinion and intention of the board, that in the appropriation for the objects of the institution of any surplus of accrued interest which may remain after the completion of the buildings of the institution, an equal division shall be made between the two great branches; that is to say, one-half shall be appropriated to the library and museum fund, and the other half to the fund for original research, publications, and lectures; and that, in regard to all other funds hereafter to accrue to the institution, the same division be made.

In accordance with the above plan of organization, and tending to carry out its details, the following resolutions, submitted by the committee, were adopted by the board:

Resolved, That, for the present, out of the interest accruing to the institution, the sum of twenty thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby, appropriated, for the purchase of books and the gradual fitting up of a library, and all other incidental expenses relating to the library except the salaries of the librarian or librarians; the said appropriation to commence from the first of January, eighteen hundred and forty-eight.

Resolved, That the portion of the building to be for the present set apart for a library be of sufficient capacity to contain not less than one hundred thousand volumes; and that it is desirable that the plan should be such as to render an extension practicable, if hereafter desired.

Resolved, That, for the present, the sum of four thousand dollars, out of the interest accruing to the institution, be appropriated, for the purchase of

The annual amount appropriated by this clause is fifteen thousand nine hundred and ten dollars.

philosophical and chemical apparatus, models, &c.; the said appropriation to commence on the first day of January next.

Resolved, That the Secretaries of State, of the Treasury, of War, and of the Navy of the United States, be respectfully invited to furnish to consuls and other public officers, in this and foreign countries, under their respective departments, such suggestions as they may deem proper, in regard to the procurement, as opportunity offers, of additions to the museum of the institution, especially to its ethnological department; that three hundred copies of this report, when printed, be placed at the disposal of each of the above-named Secretaries, as an explanation to these public functionaries of the views of the institution in regard to a museum; and that five hundred dollars be, and the same is hereby, appropriated, out of the accruing interest, to pay transportation, or other expenses connected with the transmission from foreign parts to Washington, of any collections thus made. And to such contributions, when placed in the museum, the name of the officer obtaining and forwarding the same shall, in all cases, be appended.

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be respectfully invited to furnish to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs such suggestions as he may deem proper regarding the procurement, from the Indian country, of collections for the museum of the Smithsonian Institution, illustrating the natural history of the country, and, more especially, the physical history, manners, and customs of the various tribes of aborigines on the North American Continent; that one hundred copies of this report, when printed, be placed at his disposal, as a means of informing the various Indian Agents of the special character of the collections desired; and that the sums of five hundred dollars be, and the same is hereby, annually appropriated, out of the accruing interest of the Smithsonian Institution, for the procurement and transportation of such Indian collections; and, when placed in the museum, there shall be appended to each the name of the agent through whom the same may be procured.

Resolved, That the public generally be invited to furnish contributions to the museum of the Smithsonian Institution, and that all such contributions, when considered worthy of a place, shall be labelled with the name and residence of the donor.

And, previous to the election of a Secretary, the following resolution, submitted by the committee, was adopted by the board:

Resolved, That it is essential for the advancement of the proper interests of the trust, that the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution be a man possessing weight of character and a high grade of talent; and that it is further desirable that he possess eminent scientific and general acquirements: that he be a man capable of advancing science and promoting letters by original research and effort, well qualified to act as a respected channel of communication between the institution and scientific and literary individuals and societies in this and foreign countries; and, in a word, a man worthy to represent, before the world of science and of letters, the institution over which this board presides.

PROGRAMME OF ORGANIZATION OF THE SMITHSO

NIAN INSTITUTION.

[Presented to the Board of Regents, December 8, 1847.]

BY PROFESSOR JOSEPH HENRY.

INTRODUCTION.

General considerations which should serve as a guide in adopting a plan of organization.

1. WILL OF SMITHSON. The property is bequeathed to the United States of America, "to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men."

2. The bequest is for the benefit of mankind. The government of the United States is merely a trustee to carry out the design of the testator. 3. The institution is not a national establishment, as is frequently supposed, but the establishment of an individual, and is to bear and perpetuate

his name.

4. The objects of the institution are- 1st, to increase, and 2d, to diffuse knowledge among men.

5. These two objects should not be confounded with one another. The first is to increase the existing stock of knowledge by the addition of new truths; and the second to disseminate knowledge, thus increased, among

men.

6. The will makes no restriction in favor of any particular kind of knowledge; hence all branches are entitled to a share of attention.

7. Knowledge can be increased by different methods of facilitating and promoting the discovery of new truths, and can be most efficiently diffused among men by means of the press.

8. To effect the greatest amount of good, the organization should be such as to enable the institution to produce results in the way of increasing and diffusing knowledge, which cannot be produced by the existing institutions in our country.

9. The organization should also be such as can be adopted provisionally, can be easily reduced to practice, receive modifications, or be abandoned, in whole or in part, without a sacrifice of the funds.

10. In order to make up for the loss of time occasioned by the delay of eight years in establishing the institution, a considerable portion of the interest which has accrued should be added to the principal.

11. In proportion to the wide fields of knowledge to be cultivated, the funds are small. Economy should therefore be consulted in the construc tion of the building; and not only should the first cost of the edifice be considered, but also the continual expense of keeping it in repair, and of the support of the establishment necessarily connected with it. There should also be but few individuals permanently supported by the institution.

12. The plan and dimensions of the building should be determined by the plan of organization, and not the converse.

13. It should be recollected that mankind in general are to be benefited by the bequest, and that, therefore, all unnecessary expenditure on local objects would be a perversion of the trust.

14. Besides the foregoing considerations, deduced immediately from the will of Smithson, regard must be had to certain requirements of the act of

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