236 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION 



journals which barely provide for its present scientific output. It has 

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

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

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

 meetings, nine each 3'ear, are largely attended, and ever}- 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 reserved for a 

 special fund ultimatel}- for prizes or special publications, etc. ; but 

 this balance can not long be maintained. 



Of all the mone}' expended, not a cent has gone for salaries. The 

 ofl&cers and editors all ser\'e without the slightest pecuniary' compen- 

 sation ; and in several cases their work is very burdensome and 

 involves minor as well as major administration, for the oflScer has 

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

 the society's fund 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 money at all. 



Our membership is now 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 the energies of the society may be turned to full ac- 

 count for the advancement of mathematics in America. 



Considering the representative character of the society, the skill 

 with which 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 j-ear to year, 

 to be employed as the Council of the Societ}' 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 I would 

 submit the following synopsis of the society's various activities 

 which would be promoted by subvention : 



