iv ADVERTISEMENT. 



The Act of Congress, establishing the Institution, directs, as a part of the plan 

 of organization, the formation of a Library, a Museum, and a Gallery of Art, 

 together with provisions for physical research and popular lectures, while it 

 leaves to the Regents the power of adopting such other parts of an organization 

 as they may deem best suited to promote the objects of the bequest. 



After much deliberation, the Regents resolved to divide the annual income, 

 thirty thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars, into two equal parts, — one part to 

 be devoted to the increase and diffusion of knowledge by means of original 

 research and publications, — the other half of the income to be applied in accord- 

 ance with the requirements of the Act of Congress, to the gradual formation of a 

 Library, a Museum, and a Gallery of Art. 



The following are the details of the two parts of the general plan of organization 

 provisionally adopted at the meeting of the Regents, Dec. 8th, 1847. 



DETAILS OF THE FIRST PART OF THE PLAN. 



L To INCREASE Knowledge. — It is proposed to stimulate research, by offering 

 rewards, consisting of money, medals, etc., for original memoirs on all subjects of 

 investigation. 



1. The memoirs thus obtained to be published in a series of volumes, in a quarto 

 form, and entitled " Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge." 



2. No memoir, on subjects of physical science, to be accepted for publication, 

 which does not furnish a positive addition to human knowledge, resting on original 

 research ; and all unverified speculations to be rejected. 



3. Each memoir presented to the Institution to be submitted for examination to 

 a commission of persons of reputation for learning in the branch to which the 

 memoir pertains ; and to be accepted for publication only in case the report of 

 this commission is favorable. 



4. 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. 



5. 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 preserved, to form complete sets of the work, to 

 supply the demand from new institutions. 



6. 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. 



