49 2 The Smithsonian Institution 



found, to place its productions before the world, free of cost, 

 and in a manner most favorable for securing due attention and 

 proper appreciation." 1 



At the time of the publication of the first volume of the 

 " Contributions to Knowledge " the question of the propriety 

 of the Institution's securing a copyright was raised. Profes- 

 sor Henry decided this question in the negative : 



" I had not an opportunity of conferring with the Execu- 

 tive Committee on this point, and was therefore obliged to 

 settle it on my own responsibility. I concluded that it would 

 be in accordance with the spirit of the Institution to decide 

 against the copyright. The knowledge which the Smith- 

 sonian Institution may be instrumental in presenting to the 

 world should be free to all who are capable of using it. The 

 republication of our papers ought to be considered as an evi- 

 dence of their importance, and should be encouraged rather 

 than prohibited. " z 



This policy has always been followed, the only provision 

 being that full credit should be given to the name of Smith- 

 son for any extract which is made from these publications. 

 Professor Henry truly said : 



" What prouder monument could any man desire than the 

 perpetual association of his name with a series of new truths ! 

 This building and all its contents may be destroyed, but the 

 volumes of the Smithsonian Contributions, distributed as 

 they are among a thousand libraries, are as wide-spread and 

 lasting as civilization itself." 3 



Professor C. C. Felton, after returning from Europe, wrote 

 the following letter, which shows how as early as 1854 the 

 publications were appreciated abroad : 



" It gave me pleasure to notice the high estimation in 

 which the Smithsonian Institution, under its present manage- 



1 " Smithsonian Report," 1849, page 26. 2 Ibidem, page 24. 3 Ibidem, 1851, page 10. 



