IV ADVERTISEMENT. 



After much deliberation, the Regents resolved to apportion the annual 

 income specifically among the different objects and operations of the Institution 

 in such manner as may, in the judgment of the Regents, be necessary and 

 proper for each, according to its intrinsic importance, and a compliance in good 

 faith with the law. 



The following are the details of the parts of the general plan of organization 

 provisionally adopted at the meeting of the Regents December 8, 1847: 



DETAILS OF THE FIRST PART OF THE PLAN. 



I. .To increase Knowledge. — It is proposed to stimulate research by offering 

 rewards for original memoirs on all subjects of investigation. 



1. The memoirs thus obtained to be published in a series of volumes, in a 

 quarto form, and entitled "Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge." 



2. No inemoir on subjects of physical science to be accepted for publication 

 which does not furnish a positive addition to human knowledge, resting on 

 original research; and all unverified speculations to be rejected. 



3. Each inemoir presented to the Institution to be submitted for examination 

 to a commission of persons of reputation for learning in the branch to which 

 the memoir pertains, and to be accepted for publication only in case the report 

 of this commission is favorable. 



4. The commission to be chosen by the officers of the Institution, and the 

 name of the author, as far as practicable, concealed, unless a favorable decision 

 be made. 



5. The volumes of the memoirs to be exchanged for the transactions of literary 

 and scientific societies, and copies to be given to all the colleges and principal 

 libraries in this country. One part of the remaining copies may be offered for 

 sale, and the other carefully preserved to form complete sets of the work to 

 supply the demand from new institutions. 



6. An abstract, or popular account, of the contents of these memoirs to be 

 given to the public through the annual report of the Regents to Congress. 



II. To increase Knowledge. — It is also proposed to appropriate a portion of the 

 income annually to special objects of research, under the direction of suitable 

 persons. 



1. The objects and the amount appropriated to be recommended by counsel- 

 lors of the Institution. 



2. Appropriations in different years to different objects, so that in course of 

 time each branch of knowledge may receive a share. 



