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Transcriber’s notes:

The text of this book has been preserved in its original form
apart from correction of two typographic errors: embarrasment →
embarrassment, Cassegranian → Cassegrainian. Inconsistent hyphenation
has not been altered. A lengthy preliminary section concerning the
Smithsonian Institution precedes the actual subject matter.




                              SMITHSONIAN

                      CONTRIBUTIONS TO KNOWLEDGE.

                               VOL. XIV.

                            [Illustration]

 EVERY MAN IS A VALUABLE MEMBER OF SOCIETY, WHO, BY HIS OBSERVATIONS,
  RESEARCHES, AND EXPERIMENTS, PROCURES KNOWLEDGE FOR MEN.--SMITHSON.

                          CITY OF WASHINGTON:

               PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

                               MDCCCLXV.




                            ADVERTISEMENT.


This volume forms the fourteenth of a series, composed of original
memoirs on different branches of knowledge, published at the expense,
and under the direction, of the Smithsonian Institution. The
publication of this series forms part of a general plan adopted for
carrying into effect the benevolent intentions of JAMES SMITHSON,
Esq., of England. This gentleman left his property in trust to the
United States of America, to found, at Washington, an institution which
should bear his own name, and have for its objects the “_increase_ and
_diffusion_ of knowledge among men.” This trust was accepted by the
Government of the United States, and an Act of Congress was passed
August 10, 1846, constituting the President and the other principal
executive officers of the general government, the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court, the Mayor of Washington, and such other persons as they
might elect honorary members, an establishment under the name of the
“SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION FOR THE INCREASE AND DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE
AMONG MEN.” The members and honorary members of this establishment are
to hold stated and special meetings for the supervision of the affairs
of the Institution, and for the advice and instruction of a Board of
Regents, to whom the financial and other affairs are intrusted.

The Board of Regents consists of three members _ex officio_ of the
establishment, namely, the Vice-President of the United States, the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the Mayor of Washington,
together with twelve other members, three of whom are appointed by the
Senate from its own body, three by the House of Representatives from
its members, and six persons appointed by a joint resolution of both
houses. To this Board is given the power of electing a Secretary and
other officers, for conducting the active operations of the Institution.

To carry into effect the purposes of the testator, the plan of
organization should evidently embrace two objects: one, the increase
of knowledge by the addition of new truths to the existing stock;
the other, the diffusion of knowledge, thus increased, among men. No
restriction is made in favor of any kind of knowledge; and, hence, each
branch is entitled to, and should receive, a share of attention.

The Act of Congress, establishing the Institution, directs, as a part
of the plan of organization, the formation of a Library, a Museum, and
a Gallery of Art, together with provisions for physical research and
popular lectures, while it leaves to the Regents the power of adopting
such other parts of an organization as they may deem best suited to
promote the objects of the bequest.

After much deliberation, the Regents resolved to divide the annual
income into two parts--one part to be devoted to the increase
and diffusion of knowledge by means of original research and
publications--the other part of the income to be applied in accordance
with the requirements of the Act of Congress, to the gradual formation
of a Library, a Museum, and a Gallery of Art.

The following are the details of the parts of the general plan of
organization provisionally adopted at the meeting of the Regents, Dec.
8, 1847.


DETAILS OF THE FIRST PART OF THE PLAN.

  I. TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE.--_It is proposed to stimulate research,
  by offering rewards for original memoirs on all subjects of
  investigation._

1. The memoirs thus obtained