ANNALS OF THE ACADEMY 39 



17 of that year. While many of the changes introduced modified 

 the organization of the Academy, they did not affect its char- 

 acter or scope. The whole system of classes and sections was 

 abolished, members were no longer required to take an oath of 

 allegiance to the Government, and the provisions for impeach- 

 ing and expelling members were omitted. The limitation in 

 the number of members was removed, in accordance with the 

 amended act of incorporation, and various changes were made 

 in the manner of electing members. The time of meeting in 

 Washington was changed from the third day of January to the 

 third Tuesday in April. Persons not members were permitted to 

 read papers upon invitation of the Academy. A clause was 

 added to the constitution providing that " bequests and trusts 

 having for their object the advancement of science may be 

 accepted and administered by the Academy." 



As already mentioned, immediately upon the adoption of the 

 revised constitution in April, 1872, twenty-five new members 

 were elected. In a letter to the President of the Senate, dated 

 February 23, 1873, Joseph Henry, President of the Academy, 

 remarked on this action as follows: 



" The enlargement of the Academy has already had a most beneficial effect in 

 stimulating the zeal of the younger men in the country who are devoted to scien- 

 tific pursuits. A large number of the most valuable papers were contributed by 

 the younger members at the recent session in Cambridge [November, 1872], and 

 it is evident that the usefulness of the Academy is largely increased by being 

 brought into closer sympathy with all the cultivators of science in the country." ^'^ 



For lack of communications, or for some other reason, no 

 scientific session was held in the fall of 1870 or 1871, and at that 

 of April, 1872, only six papers were presented, one of them 

 being a biographical memoir. It appears probable that the 

 enlargement of the membership of the Academy was intended, 

 in part, at least, to ofTset the waning interest in the meetings, and 

 Processor Henry's gratification at the strengthened programs 

 which followed this action can be well understood. 



Through the solicitation of Captain Chas. F. Hall, who had 

 undertaken two voyages into the Arctic regions, and a number of 



" Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., vol. i, pp. 100, loi. 



