Mis, No. 48. 23 



SECTION I. 



Plan of organization of the institution, in accordance with the foregoing 

 deductions fi om the will of Smithson. 



To Increase Knowledge. It is proposed — ' 



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

 suitable rewards for memoirs containing new truths; and, 



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

 searches, 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 differ- 

 ent branches of knowledge; and, 



2. To publisl> occasionally separate treatises on subjects of general in- 

 terest. 



DETAILS OF THE PLAN TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE. 



I. By stitnulating researches. 



1. Rewards, consisting of money, medals, «fcc., offered for original me- 

 moirs on all branches of knowledge. 



2. The memoirs thus obtained to be published in a series of volumes, 

 in a quarto form, and entitled ^' Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge." 



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

 lication, which does not furnish a positive addition to human knowledge 

 resting on original research; and ail unverified speculations to be rejected. 



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

 nation to a commission of persons of reputation for learning in the branch 

 to which the memoir pertains, and to be accepted for publication only in 

 case the report of this commission is favorable. 



5. The commission to be chosen by the officers of the Institution, and 

 the name of the author, as far as practicable, concealed, unless a favorable 

 decision be made. 



6. The volumes of the memoirs to be exchanged for the transactions of 

 literary and scientific societies, and copies to be given to all the colleges 

 and .principal libraries in this country. One part of the remaining copies 

 may be ofiered for sale, and the other carefully preserved, to form complete 

 sets of the volume, to supply the demand from new institutions. 



7. An abstract, or popular account, of the contents of these memoirs to 

 be given to the public through the annual report of the Regents to Con- 

 gress. 



II. By appropriating a portion of the i?icome, annually, to special objects 

 of research, under the direction of suitable persons. 



1. The objects, and the amount appropriated, to be recommended by 

 counsellors of the Institution. 



2. Appropriations in different years to different objects; so that m course 

 of time, each branch of knowledge may receive a share. 



3. The results obtained from these appropriations to be published, with 

 the memoirs before mentioned, in the volumes of the Smithsonian Contri- 

 butions to Knowledge. 



