of the Smithsonian Institution. 315 
ition been returned to the authors, or are in the possession of 
the Secretary. A number of others have also been provisionally 
adopted, or are in the a9 of preparation. Some 
on the most abstruse s of physical science, and all will do 
honor to the sdetectual! Snes of our country. Though the 
number of original memoirs which will be found worthy of a 
place in the Contributions will probably not be a yet it will, 
est—as, for 
dollars annually—to sietray the expense of chi part of cae ea 
of increasing knowledge. A considerable portion, however, of 
the sum thus expended will be returned to . the institution i in the 
form of additions to its library. I may also suggest, in this place, 
the propriety of the adoption, “by the board, of the resolution in- 
Viting all engaged in original research, to send the results of their 
labors for publication in the Smi thsonian Contributions. 
The Board also directed me to commence the collection of ap- 
paratus, and I accordingly sent orders to Europe, to the amount 
of twelve hundred dollars, for the purchase of such articles as 
could not be procured in the United stazes Most of the instru- 
ments have been received, and will be found of rm ip not 
only in the way of original research, but also in illustrat 
of the most pees so recent phenomena of physiéals science, 
as well as serving as samples for imitation to the artists of this 
coaittey: It was thought that these articles would be admitted 
free of duty, and a petition to this eflect was presented to ue 
Secretary of the Treasury ; but, though this officer is well kno 
to be much interested in the prosperity of the oma eacles is 
the nature of the law that the duty could not be rem 
here is an article of apparatus which, within a few years past, 
has opened almost a new world of research in the phenomena of 
life and organization, the use of which is now indispensable in 
advancing our knowledge of physiology and its kindred branches 
of science. Lallude to the achromatic microscope, to increase 
the power. of which, the artists of Germany, France, and Eng- 
land have vied with each other. On account of the small r num- 
ber of persons who are capable of constructing the proper lenses, 
the best specimens of this instrument are very scarce in this coun- 
try, ‘and Lcan be procured only at a great expense. rages er 
circumstances it was a matter of much interest to lea rom. 
a source which could be relied upon, that an individual in ‘the 
interior of the state of New York had successfully devoted him- 
self to the study of the microscope, and that he was able to pro- 
duce instruments of this kind which would compete } with the 
best of those constricted ‘in Europe. In order to do justice to 
the talents and labors of this f rson, as well as to furnish the in- 
stitution with a valuable instrument of research, I “requested him 
