THE NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC* INSTITUTIONS AT BERLIN. 93 



tiiry of the respective classes for action or report; or a special commis- 

 sion or commissioner may be appointed for re])ort on some scientific or 

 business question ; the appointment of such commission is made by or- 

 dinary election, or, if required, by secret ballot. 



The general Academy holds three public meetings annually ; the one 

 on July 1 in memory of Leibnitz, its first president, a second one on 

 January 24 in commemoration of the birth of Frederick II, the re organ- 

 izer of the Academy, and the third on the birth-day of the reigning King. 

 If these days do not fall upon Thursday, the succeeding Thursday is set 

 aside for such public meeting. 



The secretaries alternate in the conduct of the presidency on these 

 special occasions, and the presiding officer is required either to make 

 mention of the occasion by a few introductorj^ remarks or to read a 

 special paper on the subject. 



In the meetings held in memory of Leibnitz, regular members, elected 

 duriug the year, make their first speech or deliver their first lecture, 

 each being resi)Ouded to by one of the secretaries. Eulogies of de- 

 ceased members are read during the course of the meeting. The busi- 

 ness of the public meeting consists of the announcement of prizes, the 

 reading of annual reports on the changes in the personnel, and of other 

 paj)ers explanatory to the works and results of the scientific enterprises 

 or foundations connected with the Academy. Papers read in regular 

 session may, upon consent of the Academy, be read again in these pub- 

 lic meetings. 



In accordance with the intention of its foundation, it is the duty of 

 the Academy to render assistance to the scientific enterprises of its 

 members or scientists generally which require combined activity of sev- 

 eral scientists, or which, on account of their compass or expense, would 

 require the assistance of the Academy. A further duty of the Academy 

 requires it to manage foundations of a strict scientific character, and to 

 encourage or reward, by the giving of prizes, investigations, or researches 

 in certain defined directions. 



The Academj^ publishes " Sitzungsberichte" and "Denkschriften," 

 the editing of which devolves upon the college of secretaries, subject 

 to regulations adopted by the entire Academy. The members receive 

 copies, beginning with the year of their admission. 



Explicit permission of the Academy or oneof its classes is absolutely 

 required for the publication in the academic proceedings of any scien- 

 tific paper. The request for publication muse be accompanied by the 

 ready manuscript, and the proposition may be voted on at once. If the 

 expense or any other important point should require a further consid- 

 eration a commission may be appointed for the purpose, or the subject 

 may be referred to the board of secretaries or to one of tiie classes of 

 the Academy. 



Upon the recpiest of one of the members i)reseut the acceptance for 

 publication of auy paper or any proceeding connected therewith may 

 be voted on by secret ballot. 



