236 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION 



journals whicli barely provide for its present scientific output. It lias 

 also published the first volume of a contemplated series of mathe- 

 matical papers. The editors, the librarian, and the secretary carry 

 en a correspondence equal to that of a large business house. The 

 meetings, nine each year, are largely attended, and every minute is 

 utilized for improvement. 



The society has expended from the pockets of its members, in the 

 past eleven years, about $15,000 for the advancement of mathemat- 

 ics, of which $5,000 has been spent in the last two years. We carry 

 a balance of $2,000, of which about $900 has been resen-ed for a 

 special fund ultimately for prizes or special publications, etc. ; but 

 this balance can not long be maintained. 



Of 'ill the money expended, not a cent has gone for salaries. The 

 oSicers and editors all serve without the slightest pecuniary compen- 

 sation ; and in several cases their v,ork is ver\' burdensome and 

 involves minor as well as major ridministration, for the officer has 

 almost always been his own clerk, in order to avoid an expense which 

 the society's fun;l did not permit. The services which the society 

 annually receives gratis would hardly be fairly paid for by its entire 

 income, if one may compute them in mone}- at all. 



Our membership is no v.- 400. Our income last year from mem- 

 bers' dues was $1,188 ; from sales of publications, etc., $859 ; from 

 ten universities in support of the transactions, $1,000; total in- 

 come, $3,747 ; expenditure, $3,772. We need $1,500 a year more 

 in order that tl.-^ energies of the society may be turned to full ac- 

 count for the advancement of mathematics in America. 



Consideiing the representative character of the society, the skill 

 with v.'hich it has been administered, the unselfish devotion of its 

 administration corps, and its knowledge of needs and how to meet 

 them, I think that the Trustees of the Carnegie fund might well feel 

 that they could grant to the society a lump sum from year to year, 

 to be employed as the Council of the Society might determine, ac- 

 counts of course being rendered to the Trustees, who would control 

 the situation perfectly, since they could refuse further appropriation 

 at the end of any year. My point is that the Mathematical Society 

 is in a position to administer any fund granted to it, in the best pos- 

 sible way, and its history is evidence that it will not fail to do so. 



But if it is decided to make specific appropriation, then 1 would 

 submit the following synopsis of the society's various activities 

 which would be promoted by subvention : 



