18 INIis. No. 48. 



subject, agreed with me in opinion, that this was a proper occasion for tht? 

 application of the funds of the Institution to the promotion of science. Tlie 

 instrument has accordingly been ordered to be constructed by an American 

 artist, and to be accepted only in case its performance shall meet the ap- 

 proval of a commission of practical astroujDmers appointed to examine it. 



The position on the coast of Chili to be occupied by the southern 

 observers, is peculiarly favorable to die study of the facts connected v/ith 

 one of the most mysterious and interesting phenomena of terrestrial phy- 

 sics — namely, the earthquake. Lieut. Gilliss has been requested to give 

 particular attention to this subject, and for the purpose of facilitating his 

 inquires a pseismometer, or instrument for measuring tSie intensity and di- 

 rection of the eari/nvace, has been ordered at the expense of the Institution, 

 to be placed in charge of the expedition during its absence. The cost of 

 this instrument is not yet ascertained 5 it will, however^ not exceed one 

 hundred and fifty dollars. 



I think it highly probable that these instruments will be paid for by the 

 general government. The liberal spirit which dictated the original appro- 

 priation will, I doubt not, complete the outfit by the addition of a sum 

 sufficient to defray all the necessary expenses.* 



Under the head of original researches, I may recall to the Regents the 

 fact of my having been directed to continue my own investigations on 

 physical science, and to report occasionally to the Board my progress 

 therein. In the course of last year, I found an opportunity while at 

 Princeton, to commence a scries of investigations on radiant heat, which 

 apparently produced some results of interest, but which my subsequent 

 engagements have prevented me from fully developing. I was also directed 

 to cause to be made a series of experiments on the economical valu^ of 

 building material. It will give me much pleasure to obey this instruction 

 of the Board as soon as a place in the Smithsonian building and the neces- 

 sary apparatus are procured for properly conducting the research* 



Reports on the progress af knowledge. 



The Smithsonian Contributions are intended to consist of entirely 

 original additions to the sum of human knowledge, and are to be prin- 

 cipally exchanged for the transactions of learned societies, and to be distri- 

 buted among public institutions. The reports, on the other hand, are to 

 be of a more popular kind, and are intended for as wide a distribution as 

 the funds of the Institution or the means of publishing them may permit. 

 They will give an account of the progress of the different branches of 

 knowledge in every part of the world, and will supply a desideratum in 

 English literature. 



The objects of the Smithsonian Institution are not educational. The 

 press in our country already teems with elementary works on the dif- 

 ferent branches of knowledge, and to expend our funds in adding to these, 

 would be to dissipate them without perceptible effect- Neither do we be- 

 lieve that the distribution of penny magazines, or tracts on the rudiments 

 of science, can ever supersede the labors of the school-master. As a gene- 

 ral rule, knowledge presented in a fragmentary form, can only be useful to- 

 minds well stored with general principles, to which the isolated facts may 



♦ Since writing this report, the appropriation has been made by Congiesa, 



i 



