OCTOBKE 10, 1902.] 



SCIENCE. 



585 



together for the purpose of deciding the 

 nature of the most important problems to 

 be attacked, and the best men to undertake 

 the work, but beyond affording the means 

 it should leave them with as little super- 

 vision as possible, judging them by the re- 

 sults. 



In conclusion, I heartily concur with 

 other writers as to the desirability of es- 

 pecially encouraging work in the hygienic 

 sciences, psychology, physical and chem- 

 ical geology and other subjects which have 

 as yet obtained but little foothold in our 

 educational institutions. 



H. N. Stokes. 



U. S. Geological Sxjkvet. 



I THINK that Professor Cattell has done 

 a public service in setting forth at length 

 his views of the best ways to employ Mr. 

 Carnegie's gift. I thoroughly agree with 

 the two general principles he lays down: 

 (1) That the institution must work in har- 

 mony with existing establishments, and (2) 

 that it should aim to improve the condition 

 of men of science, working with them and 

 through them. We want no popes in sci- 

 ence, nor any councils of ten with supreme 

 power. The past history of some of our 

 scientific societies and the present preten- 

 sions of some of our too-numerous scientific 

 congresses show what is to be avoided. 

 First of all let the man of science be free. 

 Then assist him if you caij. To the para- 

 graph beginning 'I should like to see at 

 Washington a Carnegie Institution some- 

 what on the plan of the Royal Institution 

 of London' I give assent qualified by the 

 remark that the Smithsonian Institution 

 should do the work proposed, and gain the 

 time for it by giving up its grip on the 

 National Museum, the Zoological Park, and 

 the Bureau of Ethnology. Its proper busi- 

 ness is to assist those institutions when it 

 can, not to petrify them into units of a 

 rigid administrative machine. The Car- 



negie funds would provide the necessary 

 income, building, etc. ; the slight adminis- 

 trative machinery needed should be the 

 work of the Smithsonian Institution clerks. 

 The secretary of the institution should be, 

 ex officio, a member of the board of mana- 

 gers with a voice and one vote. The salary 

 of the members need not be above $1,000 

 per year— just enough to pay their travel- 

 ling expenses, hotel bills, and a reasonable 

 fee for their lectures, etc. 



The suggestion as to the establishment of 

 an endowed scientific press seems to be ad- 

 mirably adapted to cure abuses which have 

 long existed and especially to stimulate the 

 prompt publication of first-class work. Pro- 

 vision should be made to assist the printing 

 of original work, as is now done by the Ox- 

 ford authorities, etc. 



A small addition to the income of an es- 

 tablishment will often produce results that 

 are out of all proportion to the amount. 

 For instance, the gift of even $1,000 a year 

 to the Lick Observatory funds in 1886-97 

 would have made many rough places smooth. 

 A single computer added to the staff would 

 have relieved our best men from much 

 drudgery and left them free to do the work 

 for which they were fitted. Subsidies 

 should be given to astronomical observa- 

 tories already established; and they should 

 be given only for a limited term of years — 

 during good behaviour. If after a reason- 

 able time the subsidies produced little or 

 nothing they should be discontinued. The 

 very best way to assist research in astron- 

 omy is to pay salaries to young astrono- 

 mers. An effective form of assistance is 

 to establish fellowships with incomes of 

 $1,000 or less. 



Small grants in aid of the publications 

 of worthy scientific societies or journals 

 would have an immediate and far-reaching 

 effect. 



If a plan can be devised to utilize men 

 of talent or genius, 'who for some reason or 



