

BY THE ENGLISH SCIENTIFIC COMMISSION. 779 



stantly changing, and they are not necessarily men of 

 science. 



1412. Are they re-eligible ? — Yes, they are; and they are 

 generally re-appointed from time to time as their terms of 

 office expire. 



1413. How often does the body meet? — It meets once a 

 year for one session, which continues at intervals for several 

 weeks ; and then the Secretary makes a report of all that 

 has been done during the year, and of the state of the 

 funds, and recommends certain appropriations to be made 

 for the next year. Those appropriations are generally 

 made, and the Institution goes on again to the end of the 

 next year. 



1414. What is the staff of the Institution for working 

 it? — The essential staff consists of the Secretary, an Assis- 

 tant Secretary, and a number of clerks, and laborers. The 

 Assistant Secretary has charge of the collections of natural 

 history, and the papers are referred to collaborateurs. We 

 have lists of scientific men, and if a person applies for 

 assistance, or if a paper is presented for publication, it is 

 referred to a commission of men eminent in the line to 

 which the paper refers. If the report is favorable their 

 names are published, as you see on the reverse of the title 

 of that paper before you, as vouchers for its importance ; if 

 the report is not favorable, the paper is returned to- the 

 author, and very frequently it undergoes a discussion be- 

 tween the examiners and the author. This discussion is 

 carried on through the Institution, and as far as possible, 

 the name of the author of the paper is kept concealed, and 

 in all cases the names of those who examine it are not 

 known. 



1415. Is this Commission a standing body? — No. 



1416. How is it appointed ? — It is appointed by the Sec- 

 retary. 



1417. The members are not necessarily residents in 

 Washington ? — No, they may reside in any part of the 

 country, or even in any part of the world. Several papers 

 have been referred to scientific men in London. 



1418. I think we understand you to say that a large por- 

 tion of the revenue of the Institution is devoted to the 

 furtherance of research ? — Yes, that is so. 



1418. Supposing that a person is desirous of being aided 

 by the Institution, how does he make his case known ? — 

 He applies to the Institution, and if confidence can be 

 placed in him, the appropriation is made. I may give you 

 an example. There is a mathematician, now engaged in 



