Maech 16, 1900.] 



SCIENCE, 



411 



Experiment Stations, which body has had 

 before it for some time past a project for 

 the utilization, for graduate students, of 

 the resources of the Departments at Wash- 

 ington. 



The sub-committee are of opinion that 

 the general plan of action now under dis- 

 cussion by this committee has secured, and 

 will command, the active support of the 

 directors and administrators of the Govern- 

 ment's scientific work as well as that of the 

 educational institutions of the country. It 

 is very generally accepted as the best possi- 

 ble way of meeting what is reasonable in 

 the demand for the establishment of a 

 national university. The success of the 

 plan, however, will depend upon the wis- 

 dom with which its details are first formu- 

 lated and then administered. 



Fortunately, the Congress of the United 

 States has already declared it to be the 

 policy of the Government to encourage the 

 use of the scientific collections at Washing- 

 ton by properly qualified students, for pur- 

 poses of research. This was done by Joint 

 Resolution, April 12, 1892, which reads as 

 follows : 



Joint resolution to encourage the establishment and 

 endowment of institutions of learning at the national 

 capital by defining the policy of the Government with 

 reference to the use of its literary and scientific col- 

 lections by students : 



Wliereas, large collections illustrative of the various 

 arts and science and facilitating literary and scientific 

 research have been accumulated by the action of Con- 

 gress through a series of years at the national capital ■ 

 and 



Whereas, it was the original purpose of the Govern- 

 ment thereby to promote research and the diffusion of 

 knowledge, and is now the settled policy and present 

 practice of those charged with the care of these col- 

 lections specially to encourage students who devote 

 their time to the investigation and study of any 

 branch of knowledge by allowing to them all proper 

 use thereof ; and 



Whereas, it is represented that the enumeration of 

 these facilities and the formal statement of this policy 

 will encourage the establishment and endowment of 

 institutions of learoing at the seat of Government, 



and promote the work of education by attracting stu 

 dents to avail themselves of the advantages aforesaid 

 under the direction of competent instructors : There- 

 fore, 



Resolved hy the Senate and Mouse of Representatives of 

 the United Stales of America, in Congress assembled, 

 That the facilities for research and illustration in the 

 following and any other Governmental collections 

 now existing or hereafter to be established in the city 

 of Washington for the promotion of knowledge shall 

 be accessible, under such rules and restrictions as the 

 ofiicers in charge of each collection may prescribe, 

 subject to such authority as is now or may hereafter 

 be permitted by law, to the scientific investigators 

 and to students of any institution of higher educa- 

 tion now incorporated or hereafter to be incorporated 

 under the laws of Congress or of the District of Colum- 

 bia, to wit : 



One. Of the Library of Congress. 



Two. Of the National Museum. 



Three. Of the Patent Office. 



Four. Of the Bureau of Education. 



Five. Of the Bureau of Ethnology. 



Six. Of the Army Medical Museum. 



Seven. Of the Department of Agriculture. 



Eight. Of the Fish Commission. 



Nine. Of the Botanic Gardens. 



Ten. Of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. 



Eleven. Of the Geological Survey. 



Twelve. Of the Naval Observatory. 



Approved, April 12, 1892. 



The express purpose of this joint resolu- 

 tion is to encourage the foundation of in- 

 stitutions at Washington which may take 

 advantage of the collections and facilities 

 enumerated. This resolution affirms and 

 establishes the principle which must under- 

 lie any such plan for a School or Bureau of 

 Eeseai'ch as this Committee now has before 

 it. 



The governmental collections and estab- 

 lishments having been declared available 

 for research, the next question is as to the 

 systematic organization of the work to be 

 carried on and the proper oversight of the 

 persons engaged in making investigations. 

 At this point certain practical difi&culties 

 must be met. 



These collections and establishments are 

 under widely different jurisdictions. Some 



