CHAPTER I 

 THE FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY 



THE National Academy of Sciences owes its origin as 

 an organization, in an indirect manner, to the need 

 of the Government for technical scientific advice in con- 

 nection with the conduct of the Civil War. In February, 1863, 

 the Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, appointed a " Per- 

 manent Commission," consisting of Joseph Henry, Secretary of 

 the Smithsonian Institution, Alexander Dallas Bache, Superin- 

 tendent of the Coast Survey, and Charles H. Davis, Chief of the 

 Bureau of Navigation, Navy Department, to report on various 

 " matters of science and art," but chiefly of a practical import and 

 relating to the physical sciences. These experts considered 

 numerous subjects, and gave their opinion regarding them. 



The letter of appointment, which is preserved in the archives 

 of the Navy Department, is as follows: 



" NAVY DEPARTMENT, 



" February n, 1863. 



" SIR: The Department proposes to organize upon the following programme 

 a permanent commission to which all subjects of a scientific character on which 

 the Government may require information may be referred. 



" Propositions relative to a permanent scientific commission : 



" 1st. There shall be constituted a permanent commission consisting of, for the 

 present, Commodore Davis, Professor Henry, and Professor Bache, to which shall 

 be referred questions of science and art upon which the Department may require 

 information. 



" 2d. This commission shall have authority to call in associates to aid in their 

 investigations and inquiries. 



" 3d. The members and associates of the Commission shall receive no compen- 

 sation for their services. 



" You are directed to act as a member of the Commission in conjunction with 

 Professor Henry and Professor Bache. 



