IV AliVKRTIREMENT. 



i 



tVfter iiiiicli (lclil)ci-;iti(iii, the Reg'ents resolved to a]i])ortion tlie animal 

 iiiome specifically aiuonii- the difFerent oljjeets and operations of the Institution 

 ill such manner as iiiav, in the jndgment of tlie i>e;i-ents, be necessary and 

 liroper for each, accordinj^- to its intrinsic importance, and a compliance in good 

 faith with the law. 



The follow iim' are the det;iils of the parts of the general plan of org'anization 

 provisionally adopte<l at ihe meeting of the Eegents December 8, 1847: 



DETAILS OF THE FIRST PART OF THE PLAN. 



1. To iNC'RHASi'", IvNowLEiKiE. — Tt is jiroposcil Id si'nii nliitc rrsernch h// off'rrhif/ 

 rewards Jor <ifif/niiil nicnioirs on all Milijciis oj ii/i'csf/f/dHoii. 



1. "i'lic memoirs thus obtained to be ])nblished in a series of yolumes, in a 

 (piarto torni, and entitleil "Smithsimian Contributions to Knowledge." 



2. No nieinoiroii subjects of physical science to he accepted for ])ublication 

 which does not furnish a positive a(hlition to human kiiowliMlge, resting on 

 original research; and all unverified speculations to be i-ejected 



3. Each memoir presented to the Institution to l)e submitted tor examination 

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

 the memoir ]iertains, and to be accepted for publication only in case the re}iort 

 of this commission is faxdrable. 



4. The commi.ssion to be chosen bv the officers of the Institution, and the 

 name of the author, as far as practicable, concealed, mdess a favorable decision 

 be made 



5. TluM'olumes of ihe memoirs to be exchanged tor the transactions ot' literary 

 and scientific societii's, and copies to be given to all the colleges and principal 

 libraries in this country. One part of the remaining copies may be offered tor 

 sale, and the other carefullv 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 1 

 given to the ])ul)lic through the annual rejxirt of the Ivegents to Congress. 



)e 



II. To INCliEASK KxoWI.KOGE. If is alsil J)ro/)Osr(l In (Ijijird/iridlc (I Jint/iou o/ tlic 



incoiiii' (luinKillfi lo sjiciidl iihjrcfs of rcscarcli, nmlcr Ihe (hrcciiou oJ siiildhlr 

 'fiersom:. 



1. The objects ami the amount ai)]iropriate(i to lie recommended by counsel- 

 lors of the Institution. 



2. Ap])ropriations in different years to different objects, so that in cimrse of 

 time each Ijranch of knowledge may receive a share. 



