THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 155 



agent in this country of the British Museum, and other European libra- 

 ries, has commenced the preparation of a bibliographical work, compri- 

 sing a description of all books relative to, or published in, America prior 

 to the year 1700, and indicating not only the contents and value of the 

 books, but also the principal libraries in this and other countries where 

 they are to be found. The preparation of a work of this kind will be 

 in accordance with that part of our plan which contemplates rendering 

 the Institution a centre of bibliographical knowledge, and will have a 

 direct influence in promoting the objects of the various historical socie- 

 ties which are now established in almost every State of the Union, and 

 in bringing the Institution into friendly relations with them. A certifi- 

 cate has been given to Mr. Stevens to the effect that this work, if found, 

 by a commission to whom it shall be referred, properly executed, will 

 be accepted for publication as part of the Smithsonian Contributions to 

 Knowledge. Assured by this certificate that the work will be properly 

 executed, a number of gentlemen and institutions, whose libraries will 

 be examined and referred to, have liberally subscribed to defray the 

 necessary expense of its preparation. With this encouragement, Mr. 

 Stevens has started for Europe to commence investigations in foreign 

 libraries. To satisfy ourselves as to the importance of a work of this 

 kind, a circular letter was addressed to a number of individuals distin- 

 guished for their knowledge of such subjects, and the answer in all 

 cases was highly favorable to the scheme. Some of these answers I 

 have given in the appendix, together with the details of the plan of the 

 work as proposed by Mr. Stevens. 



At the last session of Congress an appropriation of $5,000 was made, 

 on motion of Mr. Stanton, for a series of astronomical observations in 

 the southern hemisphere, for the purpose of a new determination of the 

 parallax of the planets, and consequently their distance from the sun, 

 by simultaneous observations on the planets Venus and Mars, made at 

 places situated north and south of the equator. This appropriation has 

 been found inadequate to furnish all the instruments required ; and inas- 

 much as the expedition should not be undertaken unless the observers 

 are provided with ail the aids which the latest improvements in modern 

 science can furnish, and since, to wait for an additional appropriation 

 from Congress would cause the delay of a whole year, Lieutenant Gil- 

 liss has applied to the Institution to purchase and lend to him an achro- 

 matic telescope, which, if not paid for by an additional appropriation 

 from the government, will, after its return from the south, form part of 

 the apparatus of the Institution. This instrument will cost about 

 $2,000, to be paid for at the end of three years. The Executive Com- 

 mittee, to whom I applied for counsel on this subject, agreed with me 

 in opinion, that this was a proper occasion for the application of the 

 funds of the Institution to the promotion of science. The instrument 

 has accordingly been ordered to be constructed by an American artist, 

 and to be accepted only in case its performance shalkmeet the approval 

 of a commission of practical astronomers appointed to examine it. 



The position on the coast of Chili, to be occupied by the southern 

 observers, is peculiarly favorable to the study of the facts connected 

 with one of the most mysterious and interesting phenomena of terres- 

 trial physics — namely, the earthquake. Lieutenant Gilliss has been re- 



