the pfohfess of ^ciexce. 



287 



THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. 



THE PRESIDENCY OF THE 

 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION. 



Professor Robert Simpson Wood- 

 ward, who holds the chair of mechan- 

 ics and mathematical physics at Co- 

 lumbia University and is dean of the 

 faculty of pure science, was elected 

 president of the Carnegie Institution 

 at the meeting of the trustees held at 

 Washington on December 13. No se- 

 lection could have been made more 

 certain to meet the general approval 

 of scientific men. They know that 

 Professor Woodward possesses in an 

 unusual degree the scientific eminence, 

 executive ability, sound judgment and 

 sympathetic personality which the 

 position requires. His own researches 

 have given him acquaintance with a 

 wide range of the sciences, he having 

 made contributions to mathematics, 

 physics, geology and astronomy, while 

 he has an intelligent interest in the 

 biological sciences. He has been presi- 

 dent and is now treasurer of the 

 American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science; he is a member of 

 the National Academy of Sciences; he 

 has been president of the American 

 Mathematical Society and of the New 

 York Academy of Sciences; he is one 

 of the editors of Science; he has al- 

 ways done far more than his share to 

 promote all efforts for the advance- 

 ment of science. 



The presidency of the Carnegie In- 

 stitution is the most important scien- 

 tific position in the world. There are 

 attached to this office unusual oppor- 

 tunities and at the same time serious 

 responsibilities. As our readers know, 

 Mr. Andrew Carnegie gave three years 

 ago preferred bonds of the United 

 States Steel Corporation of the par 

 value of $10,000,000 to establish at 



Washington an institution whose ob- 

 jects are defined in the articles of in- 

 corporation, as follows: 



(a) To acquire, hold and convey real estate 

 and other property necessary for the purposes 

 of the Institution as herein stated, and to es- 

 tablish general and special funds ; 



(b) To conduct, endow and assist investiga- 

 tion in any department of science, literature 

 or art, and to this end to cooperate with gov- 

 ernments, universities, colleges, technical 

 schools, learned societies and individuals; 



(c) To appoint committees of experts to 

 direct special lines of research ; 



(d) To publish and distribute documents ; 



(e) To conduct lectures; 

 (/) To hold meetings; 

 (.ff) To acquire and maintain a library ; 

 {h) And, in general, to do and perform all 



things necessary to promote the objects of said 

 institution. 



It is not remarkable and it is per- 

 haps fortunate that three years have 

 elapsed without committing the insti- 

 tution to any definite policy. Smith- 

 son's bequest ' to found at Washington 

 an establishment for the increase and 

 diffusion of knowledge among men ' 

 was in its objects closely parallel to 

 Mr. Carnegie's foundation. The leg- 

 acy of about $550,000 was received in 

 1838. All sorts of projects were em- 

 bodied in bills, but the congress did 

 not come to any agreement as to its 

 uses until 1846. The delay in this case 

 was certainly fortunate. Soon after 

 the establishment of the Carnegie In- 

 stitution a number of the leading 

 American men of science took part in 

 a discussion published in Science on 

 its functions, which were summarized 

 in the New York Independent in the 

 following conflicting propositions: 



1. Establish large and well-equipped labora- 

 tories at Washington for each science 



2. Waste no money on buildings, but utilize 

 existing laboratories wherever they may be. 



3. Keep young men from deserting scientific 

 pursuits by granting numerous fellowships to 

 poor but worthy persons. 



