278 WRITINGS OF JOSEPH HENRY. [1847 



this kind even if they were more numerous than they are, 

 for the appUcation of its funds in the line of original re- 

 search. There are large fields of observation and experi- 

 ment the cultivation of which, though it may afford no 

 prospect of the discovery of a principle, can hardly fail to 

 produce results of importance both in a practical and a the- 

 oretic view. As an illustration of this remark, I may men- 

 tion the case of the investigations made a few years ago by 

 a committee of the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia. The 

 Secretary of the Treasury of the United States placed at the 

 disposal of this society a sum of money for the purpose of 

 making experiments with reference to the cause of the ex- 

 plosion of steam boilers. A committee of the society was 

 chosen for this purpose which adopted the ingenious plan of 

 writing to all persons in the United States engaged in the 

 application of steam, and particularly to those who had ob- 

 served the explosion of a steam-boiler. In this way opinions 

 and suggestions in great variety as to the cause of explosions 

 were obtained. The most plausible of these were submitted 

 to the test of experiment; the results obtained were highly 

 important, and are to be found favorably mentioned in every 

 systematic work on the subject of steam which has appeared 

 in any language within the last few years. New and im- 

 portant facts were established ; and what was almost of as 

 much consequence, errors which had usurped the place of 

 truth were dethroned. 



In the programme examples are given of a few subjects of 

 original research to which the attention of the Institution 

 may be turned. I will mention one in this place, which 

 may deserve immediate attention. I allude to a small ap- 

 propriation made annually for researches with reference to 

 the remains of the ancient inhabitants of our country. This 

 is a highly interesting field, and what is done in regard to 

 it should be done quickly. Every year the progress of civ- 

 ilization is obliterating the ancient mounds ; cities and vil- 

 lages are rising on the spots they have so long occupied 

 undisturbed; and the distinctive marks of these remains are 

 every year becoming less and less legible. 



In carrying out thr spirit of the plan adopted, namely 



