156 EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



quested to give particular attention to this subject, and for the purpose 

 of facilitating his inquiries a seismometer, or instrument for measuring 

 the intensity and direction of the earthwave, has been ordered at the ex- 

 pense, of the Institution, to be placed in charge of the expedition during 

 its absence. The cost of this instrument is not yet ascertained ; it will, 

 however, not exceed one hundred and fifty dollars. 



I think it highly probable that these instruments will be paid for by 

 the general government. The liberal spirit which dictated the original 

 appropriation will, I doubt not, complete the outfit by the addition of a 

 sum sufficient to defray all the necessary expenses.* 



Under the head of original researches, I may call to the Regents the 

 fact of my having been directed to continue my own investigations on 

 plrysical science, and to report occasionally to the Board my progress 

 therein. In the course of last year I found an opportunity, while at 

 Princeton, to commence a series of investigations on radiant heat, which 

 apparently produced some results of interest, but which my subsequent 

 engagements have prevented me from fully developing. I was also 

 directed to cause to be made a series of experiments on the economical 

 value of building material. It will give me much pleasure to obey 

 this instruction of the Board as soon as a place in the Smithsonian 

 building and the necessary apparatus are procured for properly con- 

 ducting the research. 



Reports on the progress of knowledge. 



The Smithsonian Contributions are intended to consist of entirely 

 original additions to the sum of human knowledge, and are to be prin- 

 cipally exchanged for the transactions of learned societies, and to be dis- 

 tributed among public institutions. The Reports, on the other hand, are 

 to be of a more popular kind, and are intended for as wide a distribu- 

 tion as the funds of the Institution or the means of publishing them may 

 permit. They will give an account of the progress of the different 

 branches of knowledge in every part of the world, and will supply a 

 desideratum in English literature. 



The objects of the Smithsonian Institution are notedu^n* rial* The 

 press in our country already teems with elementary works on the dif- 

 ferent branches of knowledge, and to expend our funds in adding to 

 these, would be to dissipate them without perceptible effect. Neither 

 do we believe that the distribution of penny magazines, or tracts on .the 

 rudiments of science, can ever supersede the labors of the school-mas- 

 ter. As a general rule, knowledge presented in a fragmentary form 

 can only be useful to minds well stored with general principles, to 

 which the isolated facts maybe referred ; and knowledge, both fragmen- 

 tary and diluted, is almost worthless, even in the way of popular dis- 

 tribution. The elementary principles of science may be systematically 

 taught to a certain extent in common schools, and the reports we intend 

 to publish will be 'found of value to the teacher, and through him to the 

 pupil, as well as interesting to the general reader. While these reports 

 are rendered as free as possible from technical terms, they will treat of 



* Since writing this report, the appropriation has been made by Congress. 



