The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-05
R EPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION COM
MITTEE OF THE SMITHSONIAN INsri-
TON.

The Committee appointed BY resolution Of The Board
Of Regents Of 6h September last, 70 digest plan for
carrying out ue provisions Of The act establishing a
Sniihsoniaa Institution, hare had thai subject under
consideration, and make hs toiiosoirg ID.
REPoRT;
The charter under which we act either directly
prescrbes or sufficiently indicates, certain items in
the plan of organizationj leaving the rest, under
the general provisions Of the beques TO the discrs-
ton Of the Board #E-
First. IL prescribes, as one Of the objects of the
institution, library that shall contain valuable
works in all departments Of human knowledge.
Second II requires, that there be provided in the
buildings Of the Institution, hall or halls suitable
for museum OF large size, TO contain collections OF
natural history, including geology and mineralogy,
and objects Of foreign and curious research.
Third II requires, that there be included in said
building, chemical laboratory.
Fourth. As the plants now IN the Conservatives
of the Patent Office are, by the charter conveyed to
the Institution, more Conservatives must be
prepared for their reception.
FIN. The building is to contain, also, "the ne
cessary lecture rooms"
sSirth, and finally, gallery of art.
These provisions plainly indicate the propriety of
expanding portion Of the annual interest accruing
10 the Institution in the gradual formation of a
library; and portion Of the remainder IN the ad-
yancement Of physical science and the arts and
that, in part, by lectures.
The words Of Smthson's will liberal and COM
prehensive, exclude, however, no branch Of human
Knowledge; nor is there any restrictive clause in the
charter. Nevertheless, as the funds Of the Instu-
ton are limited and some selection from the vast
range Of human subjects Of inquiry must be made,
your committee propose, that IN the first place. the
efforts Of the Institution be chiefly directed 70 the
increase and diffusion Of knowledge in the physical
sciences in the useful arts and in the theory and
practice ofpublic education and especially of COM
l,.sf Andf
edge in these branches be most efTectually
diused by free lectures and by brief tracts or peri
odicals, issued, either without charge, or at the
lowest cost price,
In accordance with these views, derived in part
from charter in part from the words of tho be-
quest, which endowed our Institution, and in part
from deep conviction that, OF all human sciences,
the science Of public instruction is practically the
most important, your committee make the follow
ing general suggestions in regard 10 the buildings of
the Institution; leaving further details, where they
more appropriately belong, to the Committee which
has the subject Of building under It's special charge
Your committee propose that the buildings Of the
Smithsonian Institution shall contain library room
sufficient to receive not less than one hundred thou
sand volumes; and a hall for a museum not less
than some two hundred and fly feet by fifty. And
they think il desirable, If can be conveniently 80
arranged, that the plan should be such as to render
an extension OF both these rooms practicable if here
after desired.
They propose, that for the present, twenty thou
sand dollars be set aside for the purchase OF books
and the gradual fitting up of library this appropri-
alton TO commence on the LIST Of January eig hteen
hundred and forty-eight, which, your Committee
suppose, will be at least year before the library
room is likely to be prepared for the reception Of
books. -. ......
BY a clause in the charter there are to be proyi-
ded for, in the museum cabinets Of natural history
including geology and mineraogy. Your Commit
tee recommend, that there be comprehended in the
museum another department not less important
than these; the chronological branch including all
collections that may supply items in the physical
history Of our species, and illustrate the manners
customs, religions, and progressive advance OF the
various nations Of the word as, for example, collec-
tons Of skulls, skeletons, portraits dresses nipple
ments, weapons, idols, antiquities, Of the various
races Of man.
In the accumulation of these valuable collections,
the Institution has at command great facilities The
collections Of the Exploring Expedition, which al
ready belong to its museum, furnish an ample
commencement, especially regards Polynesia.
Through the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and
the various agencies under his control, the North
American can be reached; and, at small ex-
pense, the collection of Indian curosities already
begun at the Patent Office may be rapidly extended
So, through our army and navy officers and our con-
sus in foreign nations, European and South Ameri-
can collections 1.-THE latter recently enriched by
modern discovery might be gradually brought to-
gether
When a commencement is made, and the public
become acquainted with the nature and value of
such collection, your Committee believe, that we
may expect numerous contributions from ndivid-
uas. These should be labelled with the name of
the donor.
In this connection, your Committee recommend
the passage of resolutions, asking the cooperation
of certain public funconaries and of the public gen.
orally, in furthcrance Of the above objects ..
Your Committee are further of opinion, that in
the museum might judlcously be included various
series OF models illustrating the progress of some of
the most useful Inventions; such, for example, as
the steam.engne, from its earliest and cIumsiest
form, to its present improved state: but this they
propose only so far as it may not encroach on
ground already covered by the numerous models in
the Patent Office
manufacture, and of the finished products of manu-
features and the arts may also, your Committee
think, be usefuly introduced. This would supply
opportunity to examine samples Of the best manu-
featured articles our country Affords and to Judge
her gradual progress in arts and manufactures
So soon as that portion of the building containing
the laboratory and is necessary adjoining lecture
room is completed, your Committee recommend the
selection of an able professor Of chemistry capable
as well OF delivering lectures amply illustrated by
experiment as OF instituting, when thereto required
by the board, original researches in that science
Sohiiiitee luTtner recommend, that the
professor Of chemistry be also qualified, to devote
portion of his attention, and of his lectures, when
required, TO the application of chemistry to agricul-
ture and the productive arts.
As chemistry was the favorie study of Smithson's
life, Of which considerable portion was spent in
his own laboratory, and it is, without doubt, one
of the most comprehensive and important of the
natural sciences, your Committee recommend that
this department be fitted up in as complete manner
as modern science can suggest And, inasmuch as
many young men in our country are now compelled,
in order to complete their studies as practical che
miss, or instructors in chemistry to resort to Paris
or Germany, your Committee further recommend,
that there be included in the building students
working laboratory, somewhat, perhaps, after the
model Of that instituted by one Of the ablcst of Ger
man chemists, the celebrated LIEBIc.
Although no other lectureshps are Indicated
clearly by the act organizing our institution as this
of chemistry, yet the hall Of the museum and its
contents, taken in connection with the words, "ne-
cessary lecture rooms" indicate, clearly enough,
that the engagement, permanently or temporarily
of professors or lecturers, on zoology, geology,
mineralogy, botany natural and experimental phi.
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