The New York herald., 1851-12-29

WASHING TON, Dec 2Z, 1871.
The lectures at this Institution will commence i'm.
medately after the Christmas holidays; the irst of
which will be delivered by DR.. Kane, Of the Ex-
ploring Expedition, who will be followed by the
two Professors Silliman, and by Professor Agassx,
DR.. b. A. Gould, and other gentlemen Of scientific
and literary attainments; and as purpose forward
ing, for insertion in the HERALD, report Of these
lectures, presume brief account Of the origin Of
the institution, and Of tho progress that has been
made towards carrying out the muni6sent inten.
ions Of its founder will not be unacceptable to the
numerous readers Of that paper, IN Euops as well
as in the United States.
The net proceeds OF the bequest Of ames Smith.
son, Esq, an Englishmaa, received into the Trea-
sury Of the United States for founding an institute
at Washington, for the benefit of mankind at large
and the people Of the nitei states in particular
was S5l5 lGe: and the interest that had accrued Up
to July, lSl6, when the trust was placed under the
care Of the Regents was 1922 l2e-msking totaI
Of S757,2oS.
OF ibis sum they were authorized to expeni on
the building to be erected, the above amount Of
interest," and any balance Of interest on the original
capital, which might remain, over and above the
expenditure Of ehoh succeeding year
The Regents, however, with view to render the
Institution meis extensively useful, prudenty 10
termired to increase the permanent fund By sayiug
from the accrued and accrung interest, sijO,O0O:
and, fer that purpose, TO limit the sum to be ex-
pended on the buildings aad grounds to $50 600,
and to spread the completion OF the bsilding over
number Of years.
With this intention, therefore, they invested IN
United states securites from tbe interest already
accrued, $4,000. OF this sum. there remained
when the last report was made, at the commencs
meat Of the present year, tlsOOO0 which. at the
rate Of government securities, is worth s2DSoJJ.
from which 1t appears that, after all the expsadi-
tbre on The boildiag and grounds. on resoareass
publications and ecturss. and on the library mu
scum and gallery CT art, there remained, not only
the original bsquest, but the above mentioned sun
And after the sl5OOC0 has been dopo.ited. the
Regents Of tho Institution viii have on hand. sav,
the report, sufficient to finish the building. ani
such portions Of the interior, in addition TO thosc
now completed, as may be required for years 10
come, notvithstandipg they have determined 10
render hreproof the main hail. which Is intended
fsr lecture room-thus securing for the lasti.
tuition an annual income OF $4,000.
Mr.. Smithson left his property in case OF the
death Of his nephew to found, az Washington, an
institute bearing his name, and having for its OBJ.
ject the increase aud diffusion Of knowledge amoag
men; and hence, says MIR Henry, the secretary, tho
plan is found from perience to be eminenly prao-
teal, requiring costly building Or expensive per
manent esteb hment; but he expresses his rsgret
that the restrictions imposed by Congress do not per-
NIT greater expeEditure than Is permitted for the
publication Of original memoirs on scientific sub.
jects, and Injected With natural history result
Oh new legations Of the highest importanos to
the well being OF man, ia extending the bounds of
nls krowledgc Of the universe Of mind aud matter,
Of which he forms part
10 the system Of meteoroIogy, tho Institution has
maoe considerable progress md the secretary
claims Tor the Snithsgrisa Iostitgtioo thai i has