THE RUMFORD FUND 5 



'* It further appears that the said donation was made to the 

 American Academy for a general purpose of charity, that, namely, 

 of promoting a useful branch of science for the benefit of mankind ; 

 that the Academy accepted the same, upon the terms stated, and 

 for the purposes contemplated by said donation, and are now 

 under obligation to carry the general intent of the donor into 

 effect, as far as it is practicable to do so. It further appears, that, in 

 consequence of the impediments set forth in the Bill, it is imprac- 

 ticable for the Academy to carry the general charitable intent of the 

 donor into effect in the exact and precise mode specified by him ; 

 but, considering the general and primary intent of Count Rumford 

 to have been to awaken and stimulate the ingenuity, and encourage 

 the researches and experiments of individuals on the continent or 

 the islands of America to make important discoveries or useful 

 improvements upon the subjects of Light and Heat, and to cause 

 them speedily to be published for the good of mankind, it does 

 appear to the Court that it is quite practicable for the Academy 

 to accomplish and carry into effect the general charitable intent 

 and purpose of Count Rumford by some slight alterations in the 

 mode particularly prescribed by him for carrying the same into 

 effect. 



"It is therefore by the court ordered, adjudged, and decreed, 

 for the reasons set forth in the bill, that the plaintiffs be, and they 

 are bv the authority of this court, empowered to make from the 

 income of said fund, as it now exists, at any annual meeting of the 

 Academy, instead of biennially, as directed by the said Benjamin 

 Count Rumford, award of a gold and silver medal, being together 

 of the intrinsic value of three hundred dollars, as a premium to the 

 author of any important discovery or useful improvement on heat 

 or on light which shall have been made and published by print- 

 ing, or in any way made known to the public, in any part of the 

 Continent of America, or any of the American Islands, preference 

 being always given to such discoveries as shall, in the opinion of 

 the Academy, tend most to promote the good of mankind ; and to 

 add to such medals as a further reward and premium of such dis- 



