66 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



tion. With a little more work, Professor Andrews can prepare a 

 general and comprehensive survey of the sources of American history 

 in the Public Record Office and all the other important places of deposit 

 in Great Britain. Steps have also been taken to gather information 

 concerning such transcripts from English archives as are now in the 

 libraries of this country, and through the kindness and courtesy of 

 the American Antiquarian Society a list of documents in English 

 archives that are now in print and throw light on American history 

 has been turned over to this Bureau for its use. This list was pre- 

 pared some three 3'ears ago and will need to be brought down to 

 date. When all of these tasks, which are now under way, are com- 

 pleted, the Bureau will have in its possession and ready to print 

 material for a volume showing the character, extent, and place of 

 deposit of the sources of American history in the public depositories 

 of Great Britain, of the transcripts of those sources that are accessible 

 in this country, and of the documents that are now in print. 



It is plain from what has already been said that the activities 

 of the Bureau have been confined to tasks which, when completed, 

 will enable the historical investigator to reach and use his materials 

 more easily. In carrying out this general idea, it has seemed wise 

 to begin the preparation of a bibliography of current writings on 

 American history. The list for the year 1903 has been prepared 

 and will soon be ready for the press. It includes altogether not far 

 from 4,000 titles. In addition to the ordinary- bibliographical entries, 

 references are made to the most helpful published reviews of the 

 listed books, and with the title of each important book is given in 

 a few words a description of the book, showing its scope and general 

 character. Under the supervision of the director of the Bureau, this 

 work has been carried on chiefly by Mr. William Adams Slade and 

 Miss Laura Thompson, both of the Library of Congress. 



The work of discovering letters sent to State governments bj^ the 

 delegates to the Continental Congress has been begun and some 

 progress has been made. This undertaking requires considerable 

 time and effort, and it is not likely that the work can be accomplished 

 even by the end of next 3^ear. 



Various bodies of archives have received particular attention, in 

 order that the Bureau may be able to answer questions as to place 

 and character of certain kinds of historical material. The diplo- 

 matic correspondence in the Bureau of Indexes and Archives of the 

 State Department for the first fifty years of our history under the 

 Constitution has been examined page by page, although, of course. 



