iv ADVERTISEMENT. 



The Act of Congress, establishing the Institution, directs, as a part of the plan of 

 organization, the formation of a Library, a Museum, and a Gallery of Art, together 

 with provisions for physical research and popular lectures, while it leaves to the 

 Regents the power of adopting such other parts of an organization as they may 

 deem best suited to promote the objects of the bequest. 



After much deliberation, the Regents resolved to divide the annual income into 

 two equal parts — one part to be devoted to the increase and diffusion of knowledge 

 by means of original research and publications — the other half of the income to 'be 

 applied in accordance with the requirements of the Act of Congress, to the gradual 

 formation of a Library, a Museum, and a Gallery of Art. 



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

 provisionally adopted at the meeting of the Regents, Dec. 8, 1847. 



DETAILS OF THE FIE ST 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 memoir, 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 memoir 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. 



