rV ADVERTISEMENT; 



DETAILS OF THE FIRST PART OF THE PLAN. 



I. To INCREASE Knowled(4e. — It '18 pwposed to stimnlate research by offering 



retoards foi' original memoirs on all subjects of investigation. 



\. Tbe memoirs thus obtained to be published in a series of volumes, in a 

 quarto form, and entitled " Stnithsouiau 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 l)e rejected. 



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

 to a commissicm of persons of reputation for learning in tbe branch to which the 

 memoir pertains, and to be accepted foi' publication only in case the report of this 

 commission is favoral)le. 



4. The commission to be chosen by the officers of the Institution, and tbe 

 name of the author, as far as practicable, concealed, unless a favoi'able 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 tiiis country. One part of the remaining copies may be offered for 

 sale, and the other carefully preserved to form complete sets of tbe work to supply 

 the demand frf)m 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. 



II. To INCREASE Knowledge. — It is also proposed to appropriate a pm^tion of the 



income avnvaUy to special objects of research, under the direction of suitable 

 persons. 



1. The objects and the amount apjiropriated to lie recommended by counsel- 

 lors of the Institution. 



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

 time each branch of knowledge may receive a share. 



3. The results obtained from these appropriations to be published, with the 

 memoirs before mentioned, in the volumes of the Smithsonian Contributions to 

 Knowledge. 



4. Examples of objects for which appropriations may be made : 



(1) System of extended meteorological observations for solving the problem 

 of American storms. 



(2) Explorations in descriptive natural history, and geological, mathematical, 

 and topographical surveys, to collect material for tbe formation of a physical atlas 

 of the United States. 



(3) Solution of expei'imental problems, such as a new determination of tbe 

 weight of the earth, of the velocity of electricity, and of light; chemical analyses 



