Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-14
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
THE sMITHsoN INSTITUTION.


have annually made to Congress, as by law requir-
ed full report of its operations for each preceding
year. and these reports have been regularly ordered
to be printed; but from the tardy manner in which
the public printing was for several years executed
the Smithsonian Reports would be forgotten before
they were printed, or might get through the press
among other Congress matter months before 1t
would be heard of and thus they have seldom re-
ceived from the public journals the attention which
their interest and value rendered them so worthy Of
The seventh Annual Report of the Regents con-
tans the reports for the year 1852 of JOS. HENRY,
ESQ, Secretary of the Institution; {. Q. JEWETT,
SPENCER +. BAIRD, and f. FOREMAN, Esqs., Asss-
tant Secretaries the reports of the Executive ana
Building Committees, and Proceedings OF the Board
of Regents. IL is of considerable interest, and
gives favorable view of the condition, labors, and
prospects of the Institution.
Prof HENRY's report presents general view OF
the labors and services of the Institution during
the past year in the broad field of scientific and
philosophical effort. He says:
The institution has promoted astronomy by the aid
the researches which led the discovery of the
true orbit of the planet Neptune, and the determ
nation of the perturbaons Of this planet and the other
bodes of the solar system account OF their mutual at
traction 1t has also aided the branch of science
by furnishing instruments and other facilities to the Chi
and publishing ephemers Of Neptune, which has been
adopted by ell the astronomers OF the world
Ihas advanced geography by providing the scientific
traveller with annual lists of the occultatons OF the
prncpa stars by the for the determination OF Ion
ritude by tho preparation Of tables for ascertaning
heights with the barometer and by the collection and
publication Of important facts relative to the
Of different parts Of the country particularly Of the val
lev of the Mississippi
J. has established an extended system Of meteoroo-
ry consisting of corps of several hundred intelligent
who daily noting the phases of the weather
in every part Of the continent OF North America has
standard Instruments constructed hundreds Of
compared thermometers barometers and psychrometers
and has furnished improved tables and directions for OBJ
serving with these the various changes OF the
atmosphere temperature PRESSURE moisture &C. 1t
has collected and iscoecting from its observers
tended series Of facts which yielding deductions Of
great interest in regard to the climate Of this country
and the meteorology Of the globe
The institution has advanced the science of geology
by its researches and original publications 1t has made
preliminary exploration of the remarkable region on
the upper Missouri river called the Bad Lands and is
now printing descriptive memoir on the extraordinary
remains which abound in that locality 1t has assisted
in explorations relative to the distribution in this country
Of the remains Of microscopic animals found in immense
Quantities in different parts Of the United States
at has made important contributions to botany by
means Of the published results of explorations In Texas
New Mexico and California, and by the preparation and
publication of extended memoir illustrated with color
ed engravngs the seapants OF the coast OF North
America.
at has published several important original papers
physiology comparative anatomy, zoology, and different
branches of descriptive natural history and has prepar
ed and printed for distribution to travellers, series Of
directions for collecting and preserving specimens
at has advanced terrestrial magnetism by furnishing
for determining the elements Of the magnetic
force to various exploring expeditions and by publish
ing the results Of observations made under its direction
at the expense Of the Government.
It has collected and published the statistics Of the
libraries Of the United States and perfected plan of
stereotypng catalogues, which will render effective as
combined whole all the scattered libraries OF the country
The institution has also been instrumental in directing
attention to American antiquities and has awakened
such an interest in the subject will tend to the colec
ton and study Of all the facts which be gathered
relative to the ancient inhabitants of this continent 1t
has also rendered available for the purposes Of the eth
noogist and phanhropst the abors Of missionaries
among the Dakotas, by publishing volume on the Ian
guage Of this tribe Of Indians and has done good service
to comparative phoogy by the distribution Of directions
for collecting Indian vocabularies
at has established extended system of literary
and scientific exchanges both foreign and domestic and
annually transmits between the most distant societies
and individuals hundreds Of packages OF valuable works
1t has presented its publications. free OF expense
oil the rstcass libraries Of the world and thus render
ed them accessible far possible, to all persons who
are interested in their study No restriction of copy
right has been placed on their republication and the
truths which they contain daily finding their way to
the general public through the abors Of popular writer's
and teachers The distribution of its publications and
and duse knowledge but also to increase the reputa
tion and consequently the influence Of country to
promote kindly and sympathetic feeling between the
New World and the Old, alike grateful to the philoso
pher and the phianthropis
These are the fruits Of what is called the system
active operations Of the institution and its to
duce other and continuous results is only limited by the
amount of the income which be appropriated to it
since each succeeding year has presented and i'm
portant fields for its cultivation. All the anticipation
INDUCED with regard to have been fully realized ant
after experience Of six years there can now be M
doubt Of the true policy in regard to it"
This system as it appears has to meet the opposition
Of persons who would like to subject science and pho
sophy in their most elevated walks, to the votes
county precinct city ward meeting, and to transform
this institution into battle-ground for contendng office
seekers The Professor says:
"The proposition is frequently urged upon the Regent
by persons who have not duly considered the will o.
smthson who fail to appreciate the Importance Of thu
present pan that large portion Of the income shoult
be devoted to the diffusion Of knowledge Of popu
Jar branch Of practical art and there may be fea
that tmid policy the part Of the friends of the In
stitution win lead them to favor such plan"
The honor Of the institution is also involved in tn
continuance Of this system for it has been only upon the
expectation Of faithful performance Of its engagements
with other institutions throughout the world that has
itself received many Of the benefits and advantages which
are reported.
Whatever, therefore may be the future condition
the institution the policy, for the present to de-
vote its energies to the system Of active operations
other objects should be subordinate this and in no
wise suffered to diminish the good which it is capable
producing 1t should be prosecuted with discretion bu
81.