jy AI'VKKIISKMKNI-. 



Alt'.T imicli ilclili.TiiliiMi, llic Kc^ciits rt-solvcl f. :ii(iMirti(.ii tlic iiiiiuml 

 iiiroiiK' speciiicjillv ain..ii,u' the diHen-nt ohjccls an. I niKTalimis of llic Institution 

 in sii.'li niaini. T as niav, in the judjiniciit of the IJeu-eiits, lie iicce.s.sary and 

 nroncr lor each, ar.ordinu- to its intrinsic iin|HH-tancc, and a compliance in yood 



t'aitli with the hiw. 



'Phi- followiiiL:- are the details of the paits of the <i-eneral ]ilan of organization 

 in-o\isionallv ado|iteil at tin' meeting <if the Kcg'ents Deceiidtei- 8, 1S47: 



DETAILS OF THE FIRST PART OF THE PLAN. 



1. To iNCKKASH Knowliodgk. — // is /iroposrif to dliiiulatc research hij nff'rring 

 rcivanls Jor orif/ii/al niciitolrs on all snbjccis of ii/n'stif/afioi/. 



1. The inein<iirs thus obtained to be pnblished in a series of volumes, in a 

 (|uarto form, and entitled "Smithsonian Contriltutioiis to Knowledge." 



■J. No memoir on siil)iccts of |ili\sical science to Ix? accepted tor publication 

 whicli docs not fni'nish a positi\-e a<ldition tt) human knowledge, resting on 

 original n'seareh; and all umcrilied spiM-ulations to Ix; I'ejected. 



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

 to a conunission of persons of re|)iitation for learning in the branch to wdii(di 

 the memoir pertains, and to be accepted for publication oid\' in case the re])ort 

 of this commission is favorable. 



4. The commission to be chosen bv tlu^ otHcers of the institution, and the 

 name of tin- author, as far as practicable, concealed, unless a faAoralde tlecision 

 be made. 



."». Thevohunes of the memoirs to beexchang-ed for tlie transactions ol' literary 

 and scientific societies, and copies to be given to all the colleges and pnnci})al 

 libraries in this country. One ])art of the remaining copies niay be offered for 

 sale, and the other carefitlly preserved to form complete sets of the work to 

 supjiK' the demand from new institittions. 



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

 given to the public through the aunual report of the Ueg-euts to Congress. 



II. To ixcKEASK Knowledge. — It is also proposed to appropriate a portion of the 

 income aiiiimlli/ to sjtrcial otijects of research, under the direction of snitabk 

 persons. 



1. The olijects and the amotuit appropriated to be recommended bv comisel- 

 lors of the Institution. 



2. Appropriations in ditl'erein years to different objects, so that in course of 

 time each branch ol' knowledge may receive a share. 



