16 KEPORT OF TIJE SECRETARY. 



lespoiideuce tbe Uuited States will continue to reap very inadequate 

 returns lor our pablications sent abroad. It is recommeuded that the 

 Joint Committee on the Library consider the expediency of providing 

 an appropriation to defray the necessary expenses of an agent of inter- 

 national exchanges, to be sent abroad for a term of at least six mouths 

 during the present year. 



^' It is also recommended that the act directing the printing of fifty 

 copies of each publication ordered by any Department or Bureau, to be 

 devoted to international exchanges, be so amended as to render its pro- 

 visions more effective." 



The success of the experiment made by us in 1884 would appear to 

 show that only the employment of an experienced agent of the Institu- 

 tion, in the work of visiting foreign countries and personally securing 

 from their authorities the due transmission to our Government of pub- 

 lic documents as soon as published, is likely to be effective in obtain- 

 ing the desired result. 



LIBRARY. 



The fact should constantly be borne in mind that the distribution of 

 the publications of the Institution secures in return a large amount of 

 valuable material for the Library of Congress. Whatever cost, there- 

 fore, there may be to our Government for Smithsonian or Museum re- 

 ports, etc., it is many times repaid by the exchanges received, in addition 

 to which the returns for the many volumes of publications printed en- 

 tirely at the expense of the Smithsonian fund find the same depository. 

 By the joint resolutions of 1867 and 1808, above referred to, the " works 

 published in foreign countries, and especially by foreign Governments," 

 that may be obtained by our international exchanges, are directed " to 

 be dei)osited in the Library of Congress." This great national institu- 

 tion thus becomes the beneficiary of this branch of the service, and it is 

 a matter of public interest that such returns should be placed on their 

 broadest basis. 



The following is a statement of the books, maps, and charts received 

 by the Smithsonian Institution from July 1, 1886, to June 30, 1887 : 



Volumes: 



Octavo or smaller 1, 664 



Quarto or larger 417 



2,081 



Parts of volumes: 



Octavo or smaller 5, 034 



Quarto or larger 5, 930 



10,964 



Pamphlets : 



Octavo or smaller 2, 785 



Quarto or larger 426 



3,211 



Maps 291 



Total 10, 547 



