THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 129 



10. In order to make up 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 principal. 



11. In proportion to the wide field of knowledge to be cultivated, 

 the funds are small. Economy should therefore be consulted in the 

 •construction of the building; and not only should the first cost of the 

 edifice be considered, but also the continual expense of keeping it in 

 repair, and of the support of the establishment necessarily connected 

 with it. There should also be but few individuals permanently sup- 

 ported by the Institution. 



12. The plan and dimensions of the building should be determined 

 by the plan of the organization, and not the converse. 



13. It should be recollected that mankind in general are to be bene- 

 fited by the bequest, and that, therefore, all unnecessary expenditure 

 on local objects would be a perversion of the trust. 



14. Besides the foregoing considerations, deduced immediately from 

 the will of Smithson, regard must be had to certain re(}uirements of the 

 act of Congress establishing the Institution. These are a library, a 

 musejm, and a gallery of art, with a building on a liberal scale to con- 

 tain them. 



SECTION L 



Plan of orgamzation of the Inntitulion, in accordance with the foregoing 

 deductions from, the ivill of Smithson. 



To Increase Knowledge. It is proposed — 



1. To stimulate men of talent to make original researches, by offer- 

 ing suitable rewards for memoirs containing new truths ; and, 



2. To appropriate annually a portion of the income for particular 

 researches, under the direction of suitable persons. 



To Diffuse Knowledge. It is proposed — 



1. To publish a series of periodical reports on the progress of the 

 different branches of knowledge; and, 



2. To publish occasionally separate treatises on subjects of general 

 interest. 



DETAILS OF THE PLAN TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE. 



I. By Stimulating researches. 



1. Rewards, consisting of money, medals, &c., offered for original 

 memoirs on all branches of knowledge. 



2. The memoirs thus obtained to be published in a series of vol- 

 umes, in a quarto form, and entitled "Smithsonian Contributions to 

 Knowledge.^' 



3. No memoir, on subjects of physical science, to be accepted for 

 publication, which does not furnish a positive addition to human know- 

 ledge resting on original research ; and all unverified speculations to be 

 rejected. 



4. Each memoir presented to the Institution to be submitted for ex- 

 amination to a commission of persons of reputation for learning in the 



