lo Carnegie; institution of Washington. 



comes probably in larger measure to astronomers than to other investi- 

 gators ; for in his studies of the stars he associated his name for centuries to 

 come with the more enduring phenomena of the universe and passed on to 

 his successors extensive contributions to that sort of knowledge which is 

 verifiable and hence continuously useful to mankind. 



Although the Institution is quite young and must be considered as still, to 

 some extent, in its formative stages, this first year of the second decade of 

 its history marks an epoch worthy of something more than 

 Present Status of the p^gsing notice. During this year, to a degree hitherto 

 impracticable, there has been opportunity for an objective 

 view of the meaning of the extensive and varied experience, acquired by the 

 Institution, of the principles which have guided its development, and of the 

 limitations, difficulties, and dangers which may beset its future progress. 

 During this year also, to a greater degree than hitherto, have appeared evi- 

 dences from widely divergent sources of an increasing public tendency to 

 take an objective view of the plan, scope, organization, and development of 

 the Institution and to measure its efficiency by the results of its investiga- 

 tions already published or under way. From these objective views it ap- 

 pears that, in spite of a great diversity of opinion as to what research is and 

 how it should be carried on (a diversity which seems destined to continue 

 indefinitely), there is now a consensus of opinion that the Institution has 

 established its position and demonstrated the practicability of the conduct 

 of effective research in establishments wholly devoted thereto, separate and 

 apart from other establishments whose functions are primarily and com- 

 mendably agricultural, charitable, commercial, educational, governmental, 

 political, religious, or social. Thus, in general, it may be said that, as re- 

 gards internal and external relations and interrelations, the Institution in its 

 chosen field of activity has now reached a status approximating to stability 

 of adjustment, wherein definiteness of aim, continuity of effort, and con- 

 centration of energy and resources may be more productively applied than 

 heretofore. 



But while the work proper of the Institution, namely, work of research, is 

 in a satisfactory condition, as much may not be said of the adventitious 

 work incident especially to the administrative office. For although this latter 

 work is sometimes instructive and occasionally useful, it is generally fruit- 

 less and often excessively wasteful of time and energy which might other- 

 wise be turned to better account. This work involves a vast correspondence 

 concerning an endless variety of subjects and particularly concerning an 

 endless variety of objects for which funds might be spent. In its higher 

 phases it is the work of an intelligence office and may be accepted as a not 

 unworthy though unintended function of the Institution; in its lower phases 

 it is in need of curtailment in the interests alike of all concerned. 



The time for a detailed, or even summary, account of this highly complex 

 and to some extent psychologically important experience has not yet arrived. 



