November 17, 1910] 



NATURE 



75 



board is self-perpetuating, but none of its members 

 mav be such bv reason of official connection with 



Fio. 



of .' tation of Dei artraent of 



advantages of the museums, libraries, laboratories, 

 observatory, meteorological, piscicultural, and forestry 

 school, and kindred institutions of the 

 several departments of the Govern- 

 ment. 



(6) To ensure the prompt publica- 

 tion and distribution of the results of 

 scientific investigation, a field con- 

 sidered highly important. 



No great amount of reflection is 

 needed to reach the conclusion that 

 the fields of work thus clearly 

 mapped out by the founder could not 

 be entered without some difficulties. 

 That the organisation of such an in- 

 stitution would be no easy matter 

 might have been inferred also from 

 tJie experience of the closely similar 

 establishment, the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, sevent}- years earlier, for it 

 may be recalled that the wisdom of 

 the Congress of the United States 

 debated the question of the proper 

 functions of Smithson's foundation 

 for a full decade before arriving at a 

 definite programme for action. Even 

 amongst those best qualified to judge 

 of the merits of the wa\s and means available for 

 the inauguration of this new enterprise, a great 



Evolution, Cold Spring H.irbjur. 



the United States Government or with other organisa- 

 tions. Thus the institution is now, like any other 

 private corporation, neither subject 

 to any special restrictions by, nor 

 benefited by any special privileges 

 from, the Government. 



The trustees meet annually in De- 

 cember to consider the aff^airs of the 

 institution in general, the progress of 

 work already undertaken, the initia- 

 tion of new projects, and to make the 

 necessary appropriations for the en- 

 suing year. During the intervals 

 between the meetings of the trustees 

 the affairs of the institution are con- 

 ducted by an executive committee. 

 This committee consists of seven 

 members chosen by and from the 

 board of trustees and the president 

 of the institution, who is a member 

 ex-officio, and acts as chief executive 

 officer. 



Amongst the aims of the institution 

 specifically set forth in the founder's 

 deed of trust are the following : — 



(i) To promote original research, 

 paying great attention thereto as one 

 of the most important of all depart- 

 ments. 



(2) To discover the exceptional man 

 in every department of study when- 

 ever and wherever found, inside or 

 outside of schools, and enable him to 

 make the work for which he seems 

 specially designed his life-work. 



(3) To increase facilities for higher 

 education. 



(4) To increase the efficiency of the 

 universities and other institutions of 

 learning throughout the country, b\ 

 utilising and adding to their existing 

 facilities and aiding teachers in the 

 various institutions for experimental 

 and other work, in these institutions 

 as far as advisable. 



(5) To enable such students as may find Washington I variety of opinions arose. ' Indeed, the volume of 

 the best point for their special studies, to enjoy the | excellent advice and suggestion received bv the 



NO. 2142, VOL. 85] 



Fig. 3, — Sixty-inch Reflecting Telescope of Solar Oi^er 



