r 16, IS8G.)
��SCIENCE.
��cbKTMCter of tbeir work, xad tbay should be mem- ten of the commission.
S°. Ti> approve in detail the mettaoils of expendi- ture of the appropriatioiiB.
3°. To recommeiiil such measures as thej deem necessary to the efficiency of the bureaus under Iheir suvervition. It should, however, be understood that this commission is not charged with purely admio- istrative retponslbility. It prescribes what shall be doue, and recommends any measures necessary to secure that object, but does not concern Itaelt with administrative details.
We submit the following as a suggestion for the formatioD and personnel of auch a commission: —
The commission shall consist of, 1°, the president of the National academy of scieiice»; 2°, the secre- tary of the Smithsonian institution; 'i° and 1°, two civilians of high sclentlBc repalatlon, not otiierwise in Ilie government service, to be appointed by the president of the United States tor the term of six years; 6^, one officer of the corps of engineers of the army; 6°, one professor of miLthemaliCB in the navy, skilled in aslronomy, — these two to be desig- nated by tliB president of the United StAles for a term of six years, — who, with, T>, the superintendent of the coast and geodetic survey; 8°, the director of the geDl(^calsDrvey:and, 9°, the officer in charge of the meteorological service, — shall constitute the commis- sion of . Tbe secretary of the depart- ment shall be ex^fficia president of the commission.
The members of the commission, for tbeir services as such, shall each be paid by the United States com- pensation in the sum of dollars per annum.
Their necessary transportation and travelling ex- penses shall be provided for as are those of officers of the army and navy when travelling on public tnuUieas or dnty, to be paid out of the appropriations for the services under their supervision.
The ccimmiMlon shall meet in Washington, D,C., for the transaction of business, not U'ss than four times a year; but the presiilent of the commission may convene it whenever in his judgment the eil- genclei of the service require a meeting.
The commission shall be attached to the office of
the secretary of the department of , and under
Us stipertn ten deuce shall exercise a general control over the plans of work of the coast and geodetic sur- VEj, the geological survey, and the meteorological service, and shall have the charge and custody of all tbe archives, books, documents, drawings, models, returns, apparatus, instruments, and all other things appertaining to the commission.
The estimates of the heads of these bureaus or offices shall pass through the commi9sion for revision and approval; and, after the annual appropriations have!>een mode, no money shall be expended under them, except after revision and approval by the com- mission of projects submitted by these bureaus in compliance with eucb projects.
If at any lime public money is being spent by any of these bureaus, not In accordance with the views
,the commission, the commission shall notify the auditor of the fact.
�� ��THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCIEN- TIFIC WORK OF THE GENERAL GOV- ERNMENT.^
In response to your oral request at the session of yesterday to present to the commission my "opinions relating to the organization of the scientific work of the government on a comprehensive plan, by which tbe work can be more tborouglily co-ordinated, more systematically prosecuted, and more economically ad- ministered, than St present," I beg leave to make the following statement: —
The scientific works prosecuted under the general government of the United Stales, and lu like manner prosecuted by other nations, may broadly, but with sufficient accuracy, l>e classed under two heada. In the hrst class are constructive works, such as the erection of public buildings, the improvement of rivers and harbors, and the construction of tight, houses. In all of the operations of this class, in order that the work may be properly executed, scientific principles and methods must be observed; but such works chiefly involve problems of applied science. The second class of operations in which Ihe govern- ment of the United States, like all other civilized nations. Is engaged, involve in their nature original investigation. They are designed, in large part, to furnish needed information to the people; and they not only involve questions of applied science, but, that the purpose fur which they are prosecuted may be properly aeconiplished, new facts and principles must be discovered. Such Institutions are the geo- logical survey, the coast and geodetic survey, the signal-service or meteorological bureau, the flsh-com- mission, the national museum, the hydrographlc bureau, and the national observatory. The functions of such bureaus canuot properly be performed with- out scientific research, and their value depends upon the wisdom and efficiency of the methods of investi- gation pursued. It is to this second class, of purely scientific institutions, designed for and necessarily comprehending original research for the purpose of giving information to the people, that I confine mj remarks.
The iipei-atious of such institutions are exceedingly complex, and, from their very nature, cannot be ante- cedently planned and executed according to such original plan. At every step of the work, plans must necessarily be modified, as necessitated or suggested by discovered facts. It is therefore impossiijle by law to organize such operations; and, more, it is Im- possible for the directors or superintendents of such work to lay out plons of operations which shall be a full guide to their assistants. A clear conception of the object to be attained, and a comprehensive knowledge of the principles to be used in the guid- ance of research, are necessary; and beyond that, from time to time, as facts are discovered, and the avenues of investigation are opened, the work Is di- rected iu its delails. It will thus be seen that it is
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