166 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 422. 



A circular letter was also prepared and 

 sent to nearly a thousand scientific men 

 and investigators of prominence, mainly 

 in the United States. This was accom- 

 panied by a pamphlet that included the 

 articles of incorporation, the founder's 

 address, and a list of the officers. The 

 circular letter is as follows: 



Letter to the Heads of American Institutions and 

 to Others Interested in the Work of 

 Investigation. 

 The Carnegie Institution sends to you herewith 

 a copy of Mr. Carnegie's deed of gift and other in- 

 formation in respect to the organization of the 

 new foundation. 



Some of the ablest thinlcers and investigators 

 in the country have already called attention to 

 important lines of inquiry. Their communications 

 will be referred to special committees in different 

 departments of knowledge — astronomical, physical, 

 chemical, biological, geological, arclifeologioal, 

 philological, historical, bibliographical, econom- 

 ical, etc. — and the referees will be requested to 

 add their own suggestions and to report to the 

 Carnegie. Institution such methods of procedure 

 and the names of such investigators as they deem 

 likely to advance with wisdom the great purpose 

 of the foundation. 



No large appropriations can be made at present, 

 as there will be no income from the fund before 

 August. The summer will be chiefly devoted to a 

 careful study of the problems of scientific investi- 

 gation, at home and abroad, and in the autumn 

 definite plans of procedure will be formulated. 



Any member of the Executive Committee will be 

 glad to receive from you at any time suggestions, 

 opinions, and advice as to fields that the Carnegie 

 Institution ought to occupy and the best methods 

 for carrying forward its work in those fields ; but 

 in order that important papers designed for 

 official consideration may be properly recorded and 

 filed, they should be addressed to the President of 

 the Carnegie Institution, 1439 K street, Washing- 

 ton, D. C. 



Daniel C. Gilman, Chairman, 



Charles D. Walcott, Secretary, 



John S. Billings, 



Abeam S. Hewitt, 



S. Weir Mitchell, 



Elihu Root, 



Carroll D. Wright, 

 March, 1902. Executive Committee. 



For its guidance, the committee has for- 

 mulated and adopted the following state- 

 ments as to its purposes, principles, organ- 

 ization and policy : 



Purposes. — In connection with the de- 

 termination of the policy of the Institu- 

 tion, it is necessary to clearly define its 

 purposes and to adopt some general plan 

 for organization and administration. The 

 purposes are declared by the founder to be 



"To found in the city of Washington 

 an institution which, with the cooperation 

 of institutions now or hereafter established,^ 

 there or elsewhere, shall in the broadest 

 and most liberal manner encourage investi- 

 gation, research and discovery — show the 

 application of knowledge to the improve- 

 ment of mankind, provide such buildings, 

 laboratories, books and apparatus as may 

 be needed, and afford instruction of an 

 advanced character to students properly 

 qualified to profit thereby." 



And he adds: 

 ■ "That his chief purpose is to secure, if 

 possible, for the United States of America 

 leadership in the domain of discovery and 

 the utilization of new forces for the benefit 

 of man." 



The trust deed enumerates several aims, 

 all of which may be grouped under twO' 

 heads, viz : 



(A) To promote original research. 



(B) To increase facilities for higher ed- 

 ucation. 



Under (A) may be grouped: 



(a) The promotion of original research 'as one 

 of the most important of all subjects.' 



(6) To discover the exceptional man * * • 

 and enable him to make the work for which he 

 seems specially designed his life work. 



(c) The prompt publication and distribution of 

 the results of scientific investigation. 



Under (B) may be grouped: 

 (a and 6) The increase of facilities for higher 

 education by increasing the efficiency of the uni- 

 versities and other institutions, either by utilizing 

 and adding to their existing facilities or by aid- 



