jy ADVKliTlSEMKNT. 



TUe act of cono-ross t'stal)lishiii- the Institution directs, as a part of the 

 plan of organization, the formation of a lil)rary, a museum, and a gaUery (.f 

 art, together with pi-..Nisi,.ns for physical research and popular lectures, wlnle it 

 leaves t.. the Regents lh.- powr of adopting such other parts of an organizati<.n 

 as they may deem l)est suited to jironiotc the objects of the 1)e(iuest. 



After much deliberation the Regents resolved to divide the annual income 

 into two ecpial parts— one part to be dev.ted to the increase and diffusion of 

 knowledge by means of original research and pubhcations ; the other half ot 

 the income to be applied in accordance with the requirements of the act of 

 CJongressto the gradual formation of a, library, a nmseum, and a gallery of 



art. 



The following are the dctnils of tlie parts of tlie general plan of organization 

 provisionidly adopted at the meeting of the Regents. December S, IS47. 



DETAILS OF THE FIRST PART OF THE PLAN. 



I. To INCREASE KNdWi.KDiiE. — It is pnijHi.scd to stiiuddlc research In/ offer im/ reivanls 

 for orir/iiKil iiieiiioirs 01/ (til suhjeets of /iirestifjation. 



1. The memoirs thus obtained to be i)ul)lis]ied in a series of volumes in a 

 ([uarto form and entitled "Smithsonian Contrilnitions to Knowledge." 



2. No memoir on subjects of physi<-al science to be accepted for ])ulilica- 

 tion which does not furnish ii positive a<ldition to human knowledge resting on 

 original research; and ;dl unverified speculations to l)e rejected. 



3. Each memoir presented to the Institution to be subniitte(l for examina- 

 tion to a connnission of persons of reputation for learning in the branch to wlTudi 

 the memoir pertains, and to be accepted for pul)lication, only in case the report 

 of this commission is favoralde. 



4. The connnission to l>e ■chosen by the ofHcers of the Institution, and tlie 

 name of the author ;is far as practicable t;oncealed, unless a favorable decision 

 be made. 



f). 'V\Hi volunu^s ot th(^ memoirs to Ik^ exchanged for the transactions ot 

 literary and scientific societies, and copies to lie L;iven1o all the colleges and [)rin- 

 cipal libraries in this coimtry. One part of the remaining copies may be offered 

 for sale; and the other carefull}' ])reserved, to form complete sets of the work, 

 to supplv the demand iVom new institutions. 



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

 given to the public through the ;nnuial report oi' the Regents to Congress. 



