PROGRAMME OF ORGANIZATION 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



[PEESENTED IN THE FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY, AND 

 . ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF REGENTS, DECEMBER i:^, 1847.] 



INTEODUCTION. 



General considerations whicji sliould serve as a guide in adoptino a Plan of 



Organization. 



1. Will of Sjitthson. The property is bequeathed to the United 

 States of America, "to found at Washington, under the name of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, an establishment fortlie increase and diffu- 

 sion of knowledge among- men." 



2. The bequest is for the benefit of mankind. The government of the 

 United States is merely a trustee to carr^' out the design of the testator. 



3. The Institution is not a national establishment, as is frequently sup- 

 posed, but the establishment of an individual, and is to bear and x>erpet- 

 uate 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 enlarge the existing stock of knowledge by the addition of new 

 truths; and the second, to disseminate knowledge, thus increased, among 

 men. 



G. The will makes no restriction in fiivor of any particular kind of 

 knowledge; hence all branches are entitled to a share of attention. 



7. Knov/ledge can be increased by dilferent methods of facilitating 

 and ]n"omoting the discovery of new truths; and can be most extensively 

 diffused among nu'n by means of the press. 



8. To effect the greatest amount of good, the organization should bo 

 such as to enable the Institution to produce results, in the way of increas- 

 ing and diffusing knowledge, which cannot be prodnced either at all or 

 so efficiently by the existing institutions in our country. 



9. The organization should also be such as can be adopted provision- 

 ally; can be easily reduced to practice; receive modifications, or be aban- 

 doned, in whole or in part, without a sacrifice of the funds. 



10. In order to comi)ensate, in some measure, 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 i)rincipal. 



11. In proi)ortion to the wide field of knowledge to be cultivated, the 

 funds are small. Economy should, therefore, be consulted in tlie con- 

 struction of the building J and not only the first cost of the edifice should 



