PROGRAMME OF ORGANIZATION. 11 



direction of the Institution, or procured by oflfering premiums for the 

 best exposition of a given subject. 



2. The treatises should, in all cases, be submitted to a commission 

 of competent judges, previous to their publication. 



3. As examples of these treatises, expositions may be obtained of 

 the present state of the several branches of knowledge mentioned in 

 the table of reports. 



SECTION II. 



Plan of organization., in accordance ivifh the terms of the resolutions of 

 the Board of Regents providing for the two modes of increasing and 

 diffusing knowledge. 



1. The act of Congress establishing the Institution contemplated 

 the formation of a library and a museum ; and the Board of Regents, 

 including these objects in the plan of organization, resolved to divide 

 the income* into two equal parts. 



2. One part to be appropriated to increase and diffuse knowledge 

 by means of publications and researches, agreeably to the scheme 

 before given. The other part to be appropriated to the formation 

 of a library and a collection of objects of nature and of art. 



3. These two plans are not incompatible with one another. 



4. To carry out the plan before described, a librar}^ will be re- 

 quired, consisting, 1st, of a complete collection of the transactions 

 and proceedings of all the learned societies in the world ; 2d, of the 

 more important current periodical publications, and other works 

 necessary in preparing the periodical reports. 



5. The Institution should make special collections, particularly of 

 objects to illustrate and verify its own publications. 



6. Also, a collection of instruments of research in all branches of 

 experimental science. 



7. With reference to the collection of books, other than those 

 mentioned above, catalogues of all the different libraries in the 

 United States should be procured, in order that the valuable books 

 first purchased may be such as are not to be found in the United 

 States. 



8. Also, catalogues of memoirs, and of books and other materials, 

 shouldl3e collected for rendering the Institution a centre of biblio- 

 graphical knowledge, whence the student may be directed to any 

 work which he may require. 



9. It is believed that the collections in natural history will increase 

 by donation as rnpidly as the income of the Institution can make pro- 

 vision for their reception, and, therefore, it will seldom be necessary 

 to purchase articles of this kind. 



10. Attempts should be made to procure for the gallery of art 

 casts of the most celebrated articles of ancient and modern sculpture. 



*The amount of the Smithsonian bequest received into the Treasury of the 



United States is $515, 169 00' 



Interest on the same to July 1, 1846, (devoted to the erection of the building). 242,129 00 



Annual income from the bequest 80, 910 14 



