THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 9 



the branch to which the memoir pertains ; and to he accepted lor pub- 

 lication 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 offered for sale ; and the other carefully pre- 

 served^ to form complete sets of the work, 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 

 Congress. 



II. By aj^propriating a part of the income, annually, to special ohjects 

 of research, under the direction of suitable p)er sons. 



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 in 

 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 Smithso- 

 nian Contributions to Knowledge. 



4. Examples of objects for which appropriations may be made . 

 (1.) System of extended meteorological observations for solving the 



problem of American storms. 



(2.) Explorations in descriptive natural history, and geological, 

 magnetical, and topographical surveys, to collect materials for the 

 formation of a Physical Atlas of the United States. 



(3.) Solution of experimental problems^ such as a new determina- 

 tion of the weight of the earth, of the velocity of electricity, and of 

 light ; chemical analyses of soils and plants ; collection and publica- 

 tion of scientific facts, accumulated in the offices of government. 



(4.) Institution of statistical inquiries with reference to i^hysical, 

 moral, and political subjects. 



(5.) Historical researches, and accurate surveys of places celebrated 

 in American history. 



(6.) Ethnological researches, particularly with reference to the 

 different races of men in North America ; also, explorations and ac- 

 curate surveys of the mounds and other remains of the ancient people 

 of our country. 



DETAILS OF THE FLAN FOR DIFFUSING KNOWLEDGE 



I. By the publication of a series of reports, giving an account of the 

 new discoveries in science, and of' the changes made from year to year 

 in cdl branches of knowledge not strictly professional. 



1. These reports will diffuse a kind of knowledge generally in- 

 teresting, but which, at present, is inaccessible to the public. Some 



