124 BOARD OF REGENTS. 



finished and put up in the observatory, the whole is to be submitted to the examina- 

 tion of three men of science, to be agreed upon by the parties, and their judgment 

 and decision as to the character of the telescope and the whole work, and whether the 

 contract has been fully performed on the part of the builders, shall be final and con- . 

 elusive." 



The instrument is now nearly completed. The diameter of the object-glass is thir- 

 teen and one-half inches. 



The undersigned, as a committee in behalf of the college, request that the above- 

 named examining board of scientific men may be appointed by your body. They ask 

 this for the following reasons : 



First. This telescope is the largest ever constructed in this country — constructed in 

 the face of many obstacles, with an adverse public opinion. If it be equal to instru- 

 ments made in Europe, its construction is a triumph of American genius in a hitherto- 

 untried field. The contractors, if successful, deserve that their success should be made 

 known through some medium whose judgment shall be rigid and impartial, and shall 

 have a character to be respected abroad as well as at home. 



Again. The funds for the construction of this instrument, and the observatory to 

 which it is attached, were contributed in various sums by many persons interested in 

 the advancement of science, and scattered throughout the State of New York. To 

 these persons our institution pledged itself to secure a first-class instrument. The col- 

 lege corporation desires to satisfy them by an announcement from an authoritative- 

 quarter that it has faithfully fulfilled the trust, and that the contractors have produced 

 the exact instrument provided for in the specifications of the contract. 



Furthermore, as persons interested in the advancement of science, and desirous that 

 telescopes hereafter built in this country may be thoroughly and satisfactorily tested, 

 the undersigned, in behalf of the college, would be glad to establish a precedent, which 

 might lead the purchasers of other astronomical instruments to submit the question of 

 their proper construction to your body, as being an institution central in its position 

 and national in its character. 



We are authorized to state that the contractors join with the corporation in this 

 application. 



Should this proposition be accepted by you, we would like to receive notice to that 

 effect, and of the names of the gentlemen who may be selected as such committee. 



CHAKLES AVEliY, 

 OltIN HOOT, 



OTHNIEL S. WILLIAMS, 

 THEODOHE W. DWIGHT, 



Committee. 



On motion of Mr. English, the following resolution was adopted : 



Resolved, That the letter of the committee of the trustees of Hamilton College be 

 referred to Messrs. Bache, Totten, and Henry, with authority to comply with the re- 

 quest contained in said letter. 



The following letter from the Corresponding Secretary of the 



American Academy of Arts and Sciences was read : 



American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 



Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, August, 1855. 

 My Dear Sir: The following extract from the record of the annual meeting in 

 May last has just been furnished me by the recording secretary : 



" Professor Agassiz referred to the allusion in the librarian's report to the Smithso- 

 nian Institution, and expressed in strong language his sense of the indebtedness of 

 the scientific world to that Institution, for its enlightened efforts to ditfuse knowledge, 

 particularly as a medium of exchange of publications. In conclusion, he moved that 

 the thanks of the Academy be presented to the Smithsonian, Institution, for its efficient 

 agency in effecting for the Academy its exchanges with societies and individuals, which 

 was unanimously adopted." 



I have great pleasure in forwarding to you the vote of the Academy, in obedience 

 to its instructions. 



And I remain, very respectfully, your obedient, faithful servant, 



ASA GEAY, 

 Corresponding Secretary. 

 Professor Henry, 



Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



