196 EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



The apparatus for determining the elements of terrestrial magnetism, 

 mentioned in my last Report as having been lent to Colonel Emory, has 

 been delivered to Col. Graham, to be used on the Mexican Boundary 

 Survey. To replace these, the Institution has received permission to 

 order another set, from London, at the expense of the government ; 

 and thus, by an addition to the number of instruments of this kind, the 

 means of promoting the science of terrestrial magnetism, in this coun- 

 try, will be increased. 



The purchase of standard meteorological apparatus, and also the in- 

 struments which have been distributed to different important stations 

 throughout the country, is -a part of the same plan. 



During the past year a considerable portion of the apparatus consti- 

 tuting the liberal donation of Dr. Hare, of Philadelphia, has been re- 

 paired and fitted up ; and we hope, during the present season, to com- 

 plete the repairs of the remainder, and to place the whole in a proper 

 position for exhibition and use. 



Library. 



It has been stated, that the programme of organization is intended to 

 harmonize the several requisitions of Congress, and the resolutions of 

 the Board of Regents, with a system of active operations, the influence 

 of which shall be as widely extended as practicable. Though, almost 

 every one will admit the value of libraries, and the importance of col- 

 lecting in this country as great a variety of books as possible, yet it 

 may well be doubted whether the accumulation of a large number of 

 books which are to be found in almost every library of the country, is, 

 in the present state of the funds, to be expected or aimed at. It is be- 

 lieved that a portion of the income devoted to the library may be more 

 efficiently expended in the promotion of the desired ends by other 

 means, and hence it was resolved to make special collections of books ; 

 particularly to procure such as are not in the country, and also, in 

 order to render more available those which are now in our libraries, to 

 prepare, as far as practicable, a general catalogue of all the books they 

 contain. 



In accordance with these views, Professor Jewett has devised a plan 

 of facilitating the publication of catalogues of libraries, which bids fair 

 to be of much importance to the literature of the country. This plan 

 has been submitted for examination to a commission of gentlemen well 

 acquainted with the subject, and we have received from them a very 

 favorable report recommending its adoption. 



The propositions submitted to the commission for examination, were 

 as follows : 



1. A plan for stereotyping catalogues of libraries by separate mova- 

 ble titles ; and, 



2. A set of general rules, to be recommended for adoption by the 

 different libraries of the United States, in the preparation of their cata- 

 logues. 



For a full account of Professor Jewett's plan, and of the advantages 

 anticipated from it, I must refer to his report herewith submitted. I 

 may, however, briefly allude to the leading principle of the plan, which 



