34 THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



questions relative to some branch of knowledge. The rule was early adopted to 

 give respectful attention to every letter received, and this has been faithfully ad- 

 hered to from the beginning up to the present time. 



These communications relate to a great variety of subjects. Any topic which 

 strongly excites the attention of the public at a given time, such as the announce- 

 ment in the papers of a wonderful discovery, or an important invention which 

 promises to introduce extensive changes in the useful arts, is sure to bring upon 

 the Institution an increase of labor in the way of correspondence. The ordinary 

 inquiries addressed to the Secretary relate to the principles of mechanics, electri- 

 city, magnetism, meteorology, names of specimens of plants, minerals, insects, and, 

 in short, to all objects or phenomena of a remarkable or unusual character. 



Requests are frequently made for lists of apparatus, for information as to the 

 best books for the study of special subjects, hints for the organization of local 

 societies, &c. Applications are also made for information by persons abroad rela- 

 tive to particular subjects respecting this country. When an immediate reply 

 cannot be given to a question, the subject is referred, by letter, to some one of the 

 Smithsonian co-laborers, and the answer is transmitted to the inquirer, either 

 under the name of the person who gives the information or under that of the In- 

 stitution, according to the circumstances of the case. In relation to this subject 

 we quote from a recent report of Prof. Henry. 



" There is no country on the face of the earth in which knowledge is so gener- 

 ally diffused as in the United States ; none in which there is more activity of 

 mind or freedom of thought and discussion, and in which there is less regard to 

 what should be considered as settled and well-established principles. It will not, 

 therefore, be surprising that the Institution should be called upon to answer a 

 great number of communications intended to subvert the present system of science, 

 and to establish new and visionary conceptions in its stead, and that numerous 

 letters should be received pertaining to such objects as the quadrature of the 

 circle, the trisection of the angle, the invention of self-moving machines, the 

 creation of power, the overthrow of the Newtonian system of gravitation, and the 

 establishment of new systems of the universe. 



" Many of these communications are of such a character that, at first sight, it 

 might seem best to treat them with silent neglect ; but the rule has been adopted 

 to state candidly and respectfully the objections to such propositions, and to en- 

 deavor to convince their authors that their ground is untenable. 



"Though this course is in many cases attended with no beneficial results, still 

 it is the only one which can be adopted with any hope of even partial' good. In 

 answering those who persist in declaring that the present received laws of mechan- 

 ical action are erroneous, and that they have discovered new and more correct 

 generalizations, they are requested to prove the truth of their assertions by pre- 

 dicting new and important phenomena, the existence of which may be immedi- 

 ately tested either by experiment or observation. It is not enough that the new 

 system explains facts which we know, for this would be merely exhibiting old 

 knowledge under a new form, but it should point out in the way of deduction 



