dspartmi;nt of historicai, re;se;arch. 113 



The Director has felt it to be still more important to take part, as secretary, 

 in the work of the committee on the documentary historical publications of 

 the United States Government, appointed by the President of the United 

 States, under the chairmanship of Mr. Worthington C. Ford, and acting 

 under the committee on Department Methods. That subcommittee, composed 

 of some of the most competent members of the American Historical Associa- 

 tion, has undertaken a task of great importance to the future of historical 

 work in the United States — after surveying the long but haphazard series of 

 Government historical publications and estimating as well as possible the 

 present and future needs of the historian, to frame a scientific plan in accord- 

 ance with which the publication of documentary historical materials by the 

 Government may go forward in a systematic fashion, and one worthy of the 

 importance of the nation's history. The report of this committee will be com- 

 pleted before the end of the present year. If its recommendations are in sub- 

 stance adopted, it is not too much to say, in view of the magnitude of the 

 Government's resources and operations, that some of the most important in- 

 terests of American historical scholarship will be immeasurably advanced. 

 The plans of my predecessor. Professor McLaughlin, to secure a more ade- 

 quate publication of the diplomatic correspondence of the United States, plans 

 set forth in an early publication of the Carnegie Institution, will be taken up 

 into, and it is hoped realized in, this more comprehensive project. 



During the past year, as in previous years, I have on occasion accepted in- 

 vitations to lecture on the work and plans of the Department — this year 

 twice, in November at the University of Wisconsin, in August at Cornell Uni- 

 versity. 



Mr. Leland, in Paris, has amiably undertaken many services on behalf of 

 American historical societies and workers, especially for the Mississippi De- 

 partment of Archives and History, the Missouri Historical Society, and the 

 Wisconsin State Historical Society. 



In Washington the members of the Department have spent no small amount 

 of time in rendering such assistance. The copying of portions of the School- 

 craft papers in the Library of Congress and Smithsonian Institution, which 

 has been going on for three years under our direction, for the benefit of the 

 Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society, has now been completed. Other 

 searches and copies have been made for this society, for the Illinois State 

 Historical Library, for the Iowa Department of Archives and History, and 

 for the Virginia State Library, as well as for various individuals. Our prac- 

 tice has been to expect them to pay for copying and for searches occupying a 

 great amount of time, but not for minor searches. 



Letters of inquiry as to historical papers in Washington or other matters 

 have, as in previous years, been answered with much freedom. 



