II. By the publication of separate treatises on subjects of general interest. 1. These treatises may occasionally consist of valuable memoirs translated from foreign languages, or of articles prepared under the direction of the Institution, or procured by offering premiums for the best exposition of a given subject. 2. The treatises should, in all cases, be submitted to a commission of competent judges, previous to their publication. 3. As examples of these treatises, expositions may be obtained of the present state of the several branches of knowledge mentioned in the table of reports. SECTION II. Plan of organization, in accordance with the terms of the resolutions of the Board of Regents providing for the two modes of increasing and diffusing knowledge. 1. The act of Congress establishing the Institution contemplated the formation of a library and a museum; and the Board of Regents, including these objects in the plan of organization, resolved to divide the income into two equal parts. 2. One part to be appropriated to increase and diffuse knowledge by means of publications and researches, agreeably to the scheme before given. The other part to be appropriated to the formation of a library and a collection of objects of nature and of art. 3. These two plans are not incompatible with one another. 4. To carry out the plan before described, a library will be required, consisting, 1st, of a complete collection of the transactions and proceedings of all the learned societies in the world; 2d, of the more important current periodical publications, and other works necessary in preparing the periodical reports. 5. The Institution should make special collections, particularly of objects to illustrate and verify its own publications. 6. Also, a collection of instruments of research in all branches of experimental science. 7. With reference to the collection of books, other than those mentioned above, catalogues of all the different libraries in the United States should be procured, in order that the valuable books first purchased may be such as are not to be found in the United States. 8. Also, catalogues of memoirs, and of books and other materials, should be collected for rendering the Institution a center of bibliographical knowledge, whence the student may be directed to any work which he may require. *The amount of the Smithsonian bequest received into the Treasury of the United States is..... $515, 169 00 Interest on the same to July 1, 1846, (devoted to the erection of the building) 242, 129 00 Annual income from the bequest... 30,910 14 9. It is believed that the collections in natural history will increase by donation as rapidly as the income of the Institution can make provision for their reception, and, therefore, it will seldom be necessary to purchase articles of this kind. 10. Attempts should be made to procure for the gallery of art casts of the most celebrated articles of ancient and modern sculpture. 11. The arts may be encouraged by providing a room, free of expense, for the exhibition of the objects of the Art-Union and other similar societies. 12. A small appropriation should annually be made for models of antiquities, such as those of the remains of ancient temples, &c. 13. For the present, or until the building is fully completed, besides the Secretary no permanent assistant will be required, except one, to act as librarian. 14. The Secretary, by the law of Congress, is alone responsible to the Regents. He shall take charge of the building and property, keep a record of proceedings, discharge the duties of librarian and keeper of the museum, and may, with the consent of the Regents, employ assistants. 15. The Secretary and his assistants, during the session of Congress, will be required to illustrate new discoveries in science, and to exhibit new objects of art. Distinguished individuals should also be invited to give lectures on subjects of general interest. This programme, which was at first adopted provisionally, has become the settled policy of the Institution. The only material change is that expressed by the following resolutions, adopted January 15, 1855, viz: Resolved, That the 7th resolution passed by the Board of Regents, on the 26th of January, 1847, requiring an equal division of the income between the active operations and the museum and library, when the buildings are completed, be, and it is hereby, repealed. Resolved, That hereafter the annual appropriations shall be appor tioned 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. REPORT OF PROFESSOR JOSEPH HENRY, SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, FOR 1870. To the Board of Regents: GENTLEMEN: The year 1870 may be considered almost an epoch in the history of the Smithsonian Institution, since in this year Congress commenced to recognize the propriety of making something like an ade. quate appropriation to relieve the Smithson fund from at least a portion of the burden to which it has from the first been subjected in the maintenance and care of the National Museum. During the last session of Congress an appropriation of $10,000 was granted for the preservation and exhibition of the national collection, and also $10,000 toward the preparation of the second story of the building for the better care and display of the specimens, and an equal sum for each of these objects has been asked at the present session for the year 1871, and we are assured by influential members of Congress that the request will be granted. It cannot be otherwise than gratifying to the friends of science that Government has at length awakened to the importance of making provision for the independent support of a National Museum, which we trust will be worthy of the capital of the United States. The connection which has heretofore existed between the National Museum and the Smithsonian Institution has been alike prejudicial to both, although more than one-half of the income of the Smithson fund has been expended in maintenance of the museum; and notwithstanding that the Institution, in the prosecution of its legitimate objects, has collected many thousands of specimens illustrating the productions of the North American continent, the public museum has not yet, owing to the inadequacy of means, been such as might be expected from the reputation of the Institution or the character of our Government. The National Museum was established previous to the acceptance by the Government of the care of the Smithson bequest, and consisted at first of the specimens of natural history and ethnology collected by the United States exploring expedition under Admiral Wilkes. Unfortunately, from a misconception of the terms of the will of Smithson, as now generally recognized, Congress directed the appropriation of the income of the fund principally to a museum, a library, a gallery of art, and other local objects, which, though important in themselves, did not comport with the liberal spirit of the bequest, nor with the income of the endowment, which was scarcely more than sufficient to properly support any one of these objects. Had it not been for this misconception, it is not improbable that before this time Congress would have made a more liberal provision for the support of the National Museum, and the scientific operations of the Institution which have made it favorably known throughout the world would have been much more extended. From the first the organic law of Congress has, therefore, stood in the way of the full development of the plan of active operations of the Institution; and it has only been by the gradual enlightenment of the public mind as to the true character of the will of Smithson and the importance of the plan of active operations, that, step by step, and after upward of twenty years of continued effort, the latter has now a fair prospect of producing all the results which have been claimed for it. As stated in previous reports, the library of the Institution has been incorporated, under certain conditions, with that of Congress. The land around the building presented to the Institution by the Government, and upon which at first about $10,000 of the income of the fund was expended, has been incorporated with the public reservation set aside for a park, and the cost of its keeping defrayed from the general appropriation for the maintenance of the public grounds. The establishment of a gallery of art by the liberal endowment of Mr. Corcoran obviates the necessity of anything further being done in this direction by the Institution. Still the emancipation of the fund from local objects is not as thorough as could be wished. It would be better, in my opinion, that the public museum should be entirely separated from the Institution. The appropriations of Congress are frequently fitful, and the distinction between appropriations for the museum and for the Institution is, not as manifest as is desirable. It is the wiser policy of the Institution to ask no appropriations from Congress for its own legitimate objects, in order that it may be kept entirely free from political influence. We must, however, be content, in the attainment of an object depending upon legislative enactment, with securing a part of what we wish, if we cannot obtain the whole. Finances.-The following is a general statement of the condition of the Smithson fund at the end of the year 1870, or rather at the beginning of the year 1871: The amount originally received as the bequest of James The residuary legacy of Smithson received in 1865, also $515, 169 00 26, 210 63 541, 379 63 Additions from savings, &c., also in the United States Treasury, as a part of the original fund... In Virginia State stock, $72,760, valued at. Cash on hand..... $108, 620 37 48, 000 00 21,477 81 719, 477 81 The income from the fund during the year 1870, including the premium on gold, was $43,363 12. This amount is $6,152 08 less than that for 1869, due to the difference in the premium on coin. No interest has been received from the State of Virginia for 1869 and 1870. Up to 1870 the usual appropriation from Government for the care of the National Museum was $4,000, but for the fiscal year commenting July 1, 1870, this amount was increased, as we have before stated to $10,000. Of this sum $5,024 have been placed to the credit of the museum; the whole expense, however, of keeping the museum, irrespective of the interest on the building, amounted to at least $15,000. The remainder of the income (excepting $508 16) was expended in publications, exchanges, researches, salaries, &c., and nearly $5,000 for repairs on the building. Congress also granted, as previously stated, an appropriation of $10,000 toward fitting up the large hall for the better preservation and display of the collections; but of this nothing has been drawn during · the year, the plans and other preparations for the improvement of the building not having been completed. From the foregoing statement it will be evident that the Smithson funds are in a prosperous condition, and that should Congress continue annually to make an adequate support for the museum, they would be sufficient on the part of the institution to extend its usefulness far beyond what it has yet accomplished. As a part of the history of the Institution, and in justice to the generosity of one of its earliest friends, I may mention under the head of finance, that for many years during the controversy which existed between the regents and the contractors in regard to the building, James M. Carlisle, esq., of this city, acted as counsel for the Institution, and has subsequently given advice on points of law which have arisen in conducting the various operations of the establishment. These services, the usual charges for which would amount to comparatively a large sum, have been gratuitously rendered to the Institution; for which liberality I would recommend a special resolution of thanks by the Board. Publications.-The publications of the Institution are of three classesthe Contributions to Knowledge, the Miscellaneous Collections, and the Annual Reports. The first consist of memoirs containing positive additions to science resting on original research, and which are gener |