FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS, 1873-75. 737 



to mere educational purposes as would be done by the endow- 

 ment and support ot institutions for instruction, but that the 

 fund should be applied to promoting and publishing the 

 results of such original investigations as may tend to advance 

 and increase the pure scientific knowledge of mankind. To 

 this end a fund of about $700,000, part of which is invested 

 in buildings, leaving an income-bearing fund of about 

 $500,000, is within the control of the institution. 



The income of that fund is appropriated in this way : 

 Suppose, for instance, an eminent mathematician says that 

 he desires to have made a computation in connection with 

 certain investigations to determine the cause of the pertur- 

 bation of a planet, such as those of Leverrier which led to 

 the discovery of the planet Neptune. If those investiga- 

 tions require a large amount of mathematical computation 

 which may almost be termed mechanical, this would involve 

 a good deal of expense to him. Suppose the Smithsonian 

 Institution decides that the result of such investigation will 

 advance scientific knowledge, it will advance a sum of money 

 to pay for such computations, if it does not pay anything to 

 the scientific man himself as compensation, or for support. 

 So if a scientific man wishes to make a certain inquiry into 

 the laws of optics or of electricity, and if the Smithsonian 

 Institution is satisfied of the capacity of the person and of 

 the usefulness of the results likely to be obtained, it appro- 

 priates such sum of money as may be necessary to obtain 

 the requisite apparatus, and lets him have the use of it; and 

 then, if the result of that investigation is found to be of 

 value to science, it appropriates the money for its publication. 



Now everybody knows the familiar instance when Morse 

 invented his alphabet for recording telegraphy. The knowl- 

 edge of the laws of magnetism, which made that magnificent 

 Invention serviceable to mankind, which has rendered the 

 name of American science illustrious, came from the pre- 

 vious researches and investigations of Professor Henry, who 

 brought from the vast treasure-house of science that knowl- 

 edge of the laws of nature which the invention of Morse 

 made useful for the practical benefit of mankind. ISTow, in 

 order to determine what papers are proper to be published," 

 or what kind of investigations, among the large number 

 that are offered to the Smithsonian Institution, will be use- 

 ful for the advancement of science, you should have among 

 the members of that board persons who are authority in 

 particular departments of science. They are not selected 

 as a public honor to the persons themselves ; they are not 

 selected for the purpose of recognizing the claims of or of 

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