New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-17

sor Langley TO authorize the preparation OF
history that should recite the achievements OF
the Smithsonian Institution during the first haii-
century Of It's existence QS46-1S And. In
spite Of the DEATH before the completion or the
task Of Drs. John c. yelling and G. Browne
Goode. each OF whom had been selected as edi-
torial supervisor the scheme was so well or
ganized by Mr. Browne that IT was carried TO
a successful termination by other hands
The handsome quarto volume OF $40 pages
which has now made It's appearance contains
about thirty chapters. on different phases OF the
subject. three of which were contributed by
Professor Langley four by DR.. Goode. and the
others by men whose relations with the lnstitu-
tion either from within or without, qualified
them TO an exceptional degree for such work
Among the latter are Presidents Jordan OF
Leland Stanford Ir, University. and Gilman
Of Johns Hopkins DR.. W. ]. McGee DR.. Theo-
dore Gill; Professors r. S. Woodward, OF Column
bia University. and T. c. Mendenhali. OF the
Worcester Polytechnic; ex-Drector Holden OF
the Lick Observatory: DR.. John Shaw Biihnss'
Of the New-York Public Library; A. r. spofford.
Librarian Of Congress: DR.. Marcus Benjamin.
H. Darlington Bolton the late Professor Cope
and the late Gardiner c. Hubbard.
This recital Is admirably calculated TO inspire
In the breasts OF public-sprited Americans
whether endowed with scientific tastes or not
1ust pride in the way In which the peculiar trust
committed to the Regents Of the Smithsonian
Institution. and even more exclusively 10 us
three secretaries. has been executed. Wha'eVeE
NAV be thought in regard TO the motives of
James Smithson in divertng from his own lana
20 ours his munihcent benefaction there can
be but one opinion as 10 the sagacity' foresight
industry. conscentousness and fruitfulness with
wis has been carried into erect.
James Smithson was the son Of an Engnsh
widow OF high rank Elizabeth Keate Macle'
and ~ his father Hugh Smithson had kept MS
pledges Of marriage to her. instead or contract
ing a matrimonial alliance with the great mouse
OF Percy and thus becoming Duke OF North-
CUMBERLAND there would have been no occasion
for this history. James Smitnson Is creui'eu
with having said. with bitterness mat can
easily be understood The best blood OF Eng
land flows in my veins. On my father S size l
am a Northumberland. on my mother 5 am re-
lated to kings; but this avails me not MY
name shall live in the memory Of man when the
titles Of the Northumberlands ana the reio!S
are extinct and forgotten.
The young man. known at first as Macie' put
sfterward authorized by Parliament to adopt his
fathers surname, graduated from rem
broke College. oxford in 1856. and soon showed
Fellow OF the Royal Society. Chemistry and
,,ineraloey received his special attention. The
hulk Of his property was derived through his
mother from one Of her sons by former mar
rage None OF il came from his fathers FAMILY
His will after making various small bequests'
directed that his fortune should go 70 nephew
and II that nephew should have chlIdreh 'heS
should inherit In due season Otherwlse the
United States Government was 10 be his legatee'
and the property should be devoted 70 the
founding In Washington. OF an establishment
under the name Of the Smithsonian Institution,
"for the increase and diffusion OF knowledge
among men" Smithson did not marry. His
death occurred In 1920 The nephew survived
until 1885 and died withou; issue
The amount received by our Government
from the estate at first was S5l5,l69 Another
sum. which had been at the disposal of dis
tant relative and sufficient 10 make total or
$3.50 900. was added thereto in 1860. Accumula-
lions OF unexpended interest have brought the
principal up 10 nearly three-quarters of a million
during these sixty years and benefactions from
other sources more particularly the gift OF
5000 600 by the late Thomas George Hodgkins'
OF Setauket, Long Island (also an Englishman)'
make II possible to-day for the custodans OF
this fund TO use the income OF nearly sloVV"oo
for the promotion Of science every year Ten
or eleven wears we're consumed in the discussion
OF various plans for the execution Of Smithsons
ideas before one could receive Congressional
sanction. An existing scientific organization
the National Institute. made great enort 10
ob,ain control of the money. But it finally
provided that the management should he dis
tinc,lv under the supervision OF the Federal
Government The nominal corporation In charge
Of the establishment is composed OF the
President OF the United States the Nce-Presi-
dent. the Chief Justice and the members OF the
Cabinet The active trustees. however are
known as the Regents and this Board includes
The Vice President the Chief Justice. three mem
hers Of the Senate three of the House OF Repre-
sentatiyes and six private citizens. OF whom at
least two must be residents Of Washington. IL
has not always been possible to enlls' IN this
service scientists Of such distinction as Louis
Agassiz Alexander Dallas Bache and Asa Gray
such scholars as George Bancroft and Theodore
Dwight Woolsey, such statesmen as john Sher-
man. Rufus Choate and Stephen A Douglas;
M, the roll Of Regents contains names which
are themselves a guarantee and an explanation
OF the Institutions success. The chief executive
mower is lodged by the Regents in the secretary
Three men have occupied this position up 10
the nresent time Joseph Henry. who was elect
ed in lS4G and died in 1873. was really the or
eanizer Of the Institution. although he had
been in Office only three or four years before ne
secured as an assistant Spencer F. Baird who
eventually succeeded him in office Henry, be-
fore he went to Washington, had won world
wide fame by his researches into electricity
He multiplied the power OF the electro-nagnet
more than a hundred times. and thus gave
Morse the instrument ne needed for his tele-
graph and Faraday one Of the most important
means employed by the British investigator in
his beautiful and historic studies Baird was
naturalist and before he was called 70 Henry's
aid in 1850 he had made large collections OF
birds animals and snakes. besides having much
.xnarsapce in dissecting specimens and making