3. Each memoir presented to the Institution, to be submitted for examination to a commission of persons of reputation for learning in the branch to which the memoir pertains; and to be accepted for publication only in case the report of this commission is favourable.

4. The commission to be chosen by the officers of the Institution, and the name of the author, as far as practicable, conceded, unless a favourable decision be made.

5. The volumes of the Memoirs to be exchanged for the transactions of literary and scientific societies, and copies to be given to all the colleges and principal libraries in this country. One part of the remaining copies may be offered for sale, and the other carefully preserved, to form complete sets of the work, to supply the demand from new institutions.

6. An abstract, or popular account of the contents of these Memoirs to be given to the public through the Annual Report of the Regents to Congress.

II. To increase Knowledge, it is also proposed to appropriate a portion of the income, annually, to special objects of research, under the direction of suitable persons.

1. The objects and the amount appropriated to be recommended by counsellors of the Institution.

2. Appropriations in different years to be made to different objects, so that, in course of time, each branch of knowledge may receive a share.

3. The results obtained from these appropriations to be published, with the Memoirs before mentioned, in the volumes of the Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge.

4. Examples of objects for which appropriations may be made: (1.) System of extending meteorological observations for solving the problem of American storms.

(2.) Explorations in descriptive natural history, and geological, magnetical, and topographical surveys, to collect materials for the formation of a Physical Atlas of the United States.

(3.) Solution of experimental problems, such as a new determination of the weight of the earth, of the velocity of electricity, and of light; chemical analyses of soils and plants; collection and publication of articles of science, accumulated in the offices of government. (4.) Institution of statistical inquiries with reference to physical, moral, and political subjects.

(5.) Historical researches and accurate surveys of places celebrated in American history.

(6.) Ethnological researches, particularly with reference to the different races of men in North America; also, explorations and accurate surveys of the mounds and other remains of the ancient people of our country.

I. To diffuse Knowledge, it is proposed to publish a Series of Reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of Knowledge not strictly professional.

1. Some of these reports may be published annually, others at longer intervals, as the income of the Institution or the changes in the branches of knowledge may indicate.

2. The reports are to be prepared by collaborators eminent in the different branches of knowledge.

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 labours, 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 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.

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 sciences 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 for 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 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 collection 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 articles of this kind.

6. Attempts should be made to procure for the gallery of arts 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 antiquities, such as those of the remains of ancient temples, &c.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. When the building is completed, and when, in accordance with the act of Congress, the charge of the National Museum is given to the Smithsonian Institution, other assistants will be required.

Prof. HENRY next proceeded to give an account of the various operations in progress for carrying into effect the principles of the foregoing programme.

A number of original memoirs have been accepted for publication; the first volume of the contributions is now in the hands of the binder, and will be ready for delivery to public institutions in the course of a few days. It consists of a single memoir on the antiquities of the Mississippi valley, by Messrs. SQUIER and DAVIS. The manuscript was submitted to the American Ethnological Society, and had been pronounced by a committee, appointed to examine it, a highly interesting addition to knowlege, resting on original research, and fully worthy of a place in the Smithsonian contributions. In order to remunerate the authors for the expense which occurred in the investigations detailed in this work, the Institution allowed them to strike from the same plates and type an edition which they might sell for their own benefit. No expense has been spared on the mechanical part of the volume-the best artists have been employed, and the execution will bear comparison with any book of the kind yet published in this country or Europe. Preparations have also been made to commence the second volume, which will consist principally of a series of original miscellaneous papers on different branches of physical science.

The Librarian has been engaged in collecting statistics of libraries, and in forming collections of catalogues and other works, required in

carrying out the plan of rendering the Smithsonian a centre of bibliographical knowledge, where the student may be directed to any work which he may require.

In order to facilitate the study of American History, the Institution has agreed to publish and distribute to our public institutions, a work comprising a description of all books relating to America, prior to the year 1700, which may be found in the public and private libraries of Europe and America, or which are described in other works, together with notices of many of the more important unpublished manuscripts. The names of the different libraries, both in this country and in Europe, in which the books are to be found, will be mentioned.

The expense of preparation of this work will be defrayed by subscription, and such is the estimate of its importance, as well as the confidence reposed in the gentleman (Mr. Henry Stevens) who has engaged in this enterprise, that subscriptions to the amount of $5000 have already been made by several public institutions and liberal individuals. Mr. S. has just sailed for Europe to commence his labours, and intends to employ a number of assistants in England, and in different parts of the continent.

Under the head of Original Researches, preparations are making for the establishment of an extended system of meteorological observations, embracing, as far as possible, the whole American continent. It is believed that the co-operation of the British government will be obtained, as well as that of several States of our Union. Also, a series of explorations have been established with reference to terrestrial magnetism, and other subjects connected with the physical geography of the United States.

It is intended to introduce, gradually and cautiously, the other parts of the plan; and, indeed, according to the present arrangement, the programme could not be carried into full operation until after three years from next March. Up to that time one-half of the whole income is to be devoted to the building.

The professor stated, that almost every day furnished him with new evidence of the importance to the science and literature of our country, which might be made to result from a judicious expenditure of the income of the Institution. He regretted that in order to make provision for the accommodation of the Museum of the exploring expedition, as directed by the Act of Congress, so large an amount of money was required for the erection of the buildings. The evil, however,

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