iv Preface. 



experiments or investigations as shall in their opinion best 

 facilitate and encourage the making of discoveries and im- 

 provements which may merit the premium, so as aforesaid to 

 be by them awarded." 



From an early period in its history, the supervision of the 

 Rumford trust has been assigned by the Academy to a 

 standing committee called the Rumford Committee, consisting 

 of seven Fellows elected annually by ballot. It is the duty of 

 this committee "to use all proper means to make the Rumford 

 Fund constantly active and useful so as to carry out the 

 donor's intention in the manner defined by the decree of the 

 Supreme Court in 1832, not only by investigating all applica- 

 tions and claims to the Rumford medals, but also by such 

 other means as have been already indicated, and in general to 

 see to the due and proper execution of the trust." Although 

 since 1831 the medal has been awarded eight times, and since 

 1 862 regularly every two years, and although from time to time 

 liberal appropriations have been made from the income for 

 the various purposes indicated in the decree of the Supreme 

 Court above cited, yet, nevertheless, the fund has steadily 

 accumulated, and now amounts to over forty-two thousand 

 dollars. Meanwhile, the contributions of Count Rumford to 

 the knowledge of the world have also borne their legitimate 

 fruits, and his experiments are now seen to be the first of that 

 memorable series of investigations which has resulted in the 

 modern mechanical theory of heat and the doctrine of the 

 conservation of energy. Impressed by this fact, the Rumford 

 Committee have long felt that the Academy could in no way 

 more properly execute their trust, as defined by the decree 

 of the Supreme Court in 1832, than in doing honor to Count 

 Rumford by publishing a complete edition of his works. As 

 early as 1862, this step was recommended to the Academy by 

 one of their number, Dr. M. WYMAN, and the recommenda- 

 tion was repeated by Professor J. LOVERING, in his reports as 

 chairman of the committee in subsequent years ; but it was not 

 until 1868 that the Academy authorized the undertaking, and 

 made an appropriation of money for carrying it into effect. 



