726 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 436. 



and friendly aid to one another, by astron- 

 omers of all countries, would encourage 

 other donors. An incidental advantage of 

 this plan is that it could be tried on a small 

 scale, as for a single year, and the donor 

 could thus see what results were likely to 

 follow if he made the plan permanent. 



Of course, every effort would be made 

 to establish the closest relations with as- 

 tronomers in general, as the object of the 

 institution could not be attained if the 

 work done was not regarded as advancing 

 astronomical research in the best way. 

 Much might be accomplished through exist- 

 ing societies and periodicals. Another 

 matter of especial importance is that when 

 an astronomer is aided who is qualified to 

 carry on work in the best way, no restric- 

 tions should be made on the appropriation, 

 which would in any way interfere with his 

 obtaining the best results. 



It will be noticed that this plan differs 

 from those governing existing funds for 

 research, in being active and not passive. 

 While the trustees of other funds wait for 

 applications, and then consider what ap- 

 propriations can be made, it would be the 

 aim of the advisers of this fund to learn 

 what astronomers desired aid, what instru- 

 ments now unused were available for work, 

 and what valuable material remained un- 

 published, and consequently useless, for lack 

 of means. Its special object would be to 

 determine the needs of astronomers, to find 

 what subjects were being neglected, espe- 

 cially those whose usefulness would be lost 

 by delay, and, if possible, to take the neces- 

 sary steps to secure their execution. Much 

 might be done with existing funds, and it 

 is believed that the trustees of such funds 

 would, in many cases, welcome the means 

 of expending the available income to the 

 best advantage. The opportunities for 

 good work are far in excess of the present 

 means for supplying them. Even the great 



resources of the Carnegie Institution will 

 be able to respond to only a portion of the 

 excellent applications made to it for aid. 



It is most important that unnecessary 

 delays should be avoided. It often hap- 

 pens that an astronomer could undertake 

 a. piece of work at once, perhaps during a 

 summer vacation, while after a delay of 

 several months he might be unable to carry 

 it out, or might have lost many of the de- 

 tails then fresh in his mind. This is still 

 more important with large pieces of work. 

 A delay of several years may render a 

 mature astronomer incapable of completing 

 a work which, if undertaken at once, he 

 could carry out with his greatest vigor and 

 skill. 



These remarks apply with equal force 

 to the present plan of work. The Harvard 

 Observatory has now the appliances, both 

 intellectual and physical, for undertaking 

 large pieces of work. Several of the lead- 

 ing astronomers of the country are in sym- 

 pathy with such a plan for cooperation, so 

 that the important methods of organizing 

 and initiating a system could be devised at 

 the present time under very favorable con- 

 ditions, which may not prevail a few years 

 hence, although the plan, once started, 

 could easily be carried on by others. It 

 therefore seems wise to make a beginning, 

 however small, hoping to show results that 

 will lead to an early fulfilment of the 

 entire plan. 



The undersigned, therefore, invites the 

 astronomers of this and other countries to 

 send to him applications for aid. A brief 

 statement of the case in form for publica- 

 tion should be made, generally not exceed- 

 ing two hundred words in length, with an 

 estimate of the cost, and any additional 

 necessary details. If publication is not 

 desired, it should be stated. 



The undersigned will then use his best 

 efforts to secure the execution of such of 



