3. Each collaborator to be furnished with the journals and publications, domestic and foreign, necessary to the compilation of his report; to be paid a certain sum for his labors, and to be named on the title-page of the report. 4. The reports to be published in separate parts, so that persons interested in a particular branch, can procure the parts relating to it without purchasing the whole. 5. These reports may be presented to Congress, for partial distribution, the remaining copies to be given to literary and scientific institutions, and sold to individuals for a moderate price. The following are some of the subjects which may be embraced in the reports:— I. PHYSICAL CLASS. 1. Physics, including astronomy, natural philosophy, chemistry, and meteorology. 2. Natural history, including botany, zoology, geology, &c. 3. Agriculture. 4. Application of science to arts. II. MORAL AND POLITICAL CLASS. 5. Ethnology, including particular history, comparative philology, antiquities, &c. 6. Statistics and political economy. 7. Mental and moral philosophy. 8. A survey of the political events of the world; penal reform, &c. III. LITERATURE AND THE FINE ARTS. 9. Modern literature. 10. The fine arts, and their application to the useful arts. 11. Bibliography. 12. Obituary notices of distinguished individuals. II. TO DIFFUSE KNOWLEDGE.-It is proposed to publish occasionally separate treatises on subjects of general interest. 1. These treatises may consist of valuable memoirs translated from foreign languages, or of articles prepared under the direction of the Institution, or be procured by offering premiums for the best exposition of a given subject. 2. The treatises to be submitted to a commission of competent judges, previous to their publication. DETAILS OF THE SECOND PART OF THE PLAN OF ORGANIZATION. This part contemplates the formation of a Library, a Museum, and a Gallery of Art. 1. 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. 2. The Institution should make special collections, particularly of objects to verify its own publications. Also a collection of instruments of research in all branches of experimental science. 3. 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 elsewhere in the United States. 4. Also catalogues of memoirs, and of books in foreign libraries, and other materials, should be collected, for rendering the Institution a centre of bibliographical knowledge, whence the student may be directed to any work which he may require. 5. 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 any article of this kind. 6. Attempts should be made to procure for the gallery of art, casts of the most celebrated articles of ancient and modern sculpture. 7. 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. 8. A small appropriation should annually be made for models of antiquity, such as those of the remains of ancient temples, &c. 9. 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. In accordance with the rules adopted in the programme of organization, each memoir in this volume has been favorably reported on by a commission appointed for its examination. It is however impossible, in most cases, to verify the statements of an author, and, therefore, neither the Commission nor the Institution can be responsible for more than the general character of a memoir. The following rules have been adopted for the distribution of the quarto volumes of the Smithsonian Contributions. 1. They are to be presented to all learned societies which publish Transactions, and give copies of these, in exchange, to the Institution. 2. Also, to all foreign libraries of the first class, provided they give in exchange their catalogues or other publications, or an equivalent from their duplicate volumes. 3. To all the colleges in actual operation in this country, provided they furnish, in return, meteorological observations, catalogues of their libraries and of their students, and all other publications issued by them relative to their organization and history. 4. To all States and Territories, provided there be given, in return, copies of all documents published under their authority. 5. To all incorporated public libraries in this country, not included in any of the foregoing classes, now containing more than 7000 volumes; and to smaller libraries, where a whole State or large district would be otherwise unsupplied. |