14 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



Attention has frequently been called in previous reports to the steadily 

 increasing expense attending this system of international exchanges. 

 The cost of prosecuting various researches and investigations and the 

 general expenses of the Institution being provided for, the residue of 

 the income has usually been divided between the department of publica- 

 tions and that of international exchanges. So long as the latter interest 

 required the expenditure of but a few thousand dollars, a considerable 

 amount was available for the former, and the Institution w^as thus in a 

 condition to publish many important memoirs -, but of late years the 

 cost of maintaining the exchange system has increased at so rapid a 

 rate (the expense for 1879 and 1880 having reached nearly $10,000 each 

 year) that only an inadequate and continually decreasing balance iB 

 available for the very important department of publication of original 

 contributions to knowledge. 



The official designation of the Smithsonian Institution by the State 

 Department, as the American agent of international exchange has 

 naturally, with the rapid extension of its operations, also added con- 

 siderably to the burden of expense. 



In view of these circumstances, a communication was addressed to 

 the honorable Secretary of State, some months ago, by the Secretary of 

 the Institution, asking that an application be made to Congress for a 

 special appropriation toward defraying the expenses of international 

 exchanges, to be disbursed under the direction of the State Department. 

 This favor has been promised, and it is hoped that the desired relief 

 will be granted. 



As a result of the convention already referred to as held in Paris a 

 few years ago, for promoting international exchanges between the vari- 

 ous governments of the world, the interest and exertions in this direc- 

 tion are slowly extending. In addition to the commissions and bureaus 

 of Belgium, France, Holland, and the Confedem oy of Switzerland, men- 

 tioned in the last report as co-operating with the United States govern- 

 ment, the Government of Brazil has since been included in the move- 

 ment, and arrangements between it and the Institution have been sat- 

 isfactorily adopted. A disposition to co-operate in this work has also 

 been expressed by the Governments of Eussia and of Italy, but no defi- 

 nite arrangements have as yet been concluded by them. 



The interchange of scientific publications between the United States 

 and Cuba has for a number of years been efieoted through the agency 

 of Prof. Felipe Poey, of the University of Havana; and to that emi- 

 nent naturalist, for both the extent and the efficiency of his labors, 

 this Institution is greatly indebted. As the packages transmitted have 

 been addressed to Professor Poey, questions have constantly arisen as to 

 the duties charged to the Institution, in addit ion to the other cost of the 

 enterprise. As it was thought unjust that the Smithsonian fund should 

 be taxed with the entire expenses of this interchange, in both directions, 

 while the main benefits of the transactions were experienced by Cuba, 



