44 REPOET ON EXCHANGES. 



mission, by the Smithsonian Institution, of a set of twenty cases, ad- 

 dressed to the Government of Pern at Lima : 



Prof. Spencer F. Baird to the Secretary of State. 



Washington, D. C, July 2, 1886. 



Sir : During tlie administration of my predecessor in office, the la- 

 mented Professor Henry, a letter dated Febrnary 8, 1868, was received 

 from the then Secretary of State, Hon. William H. Seward, transmit- 

 ting a note from the foreign office at Lima with reference to a proposi- 

 tion from this Institution for an exchange of official documents with the 

 Eepublic of Peru. Printed copies of this correspondence I inclose. 



In some inexplicable way the subject has been entirely lost sight of and 

 has only just been brought to the light; and I beg to state that the In- 

 stitution is now anxious to resume negotiations with the Peruvian Gov- 

 ernment relative to the proposed exchange. 



The Smithsonian Institution as the agent for international exchanges 

 . on the part of the United States Government is pre])ared to furnish the 

 Government of Peru with a collection of several thousand volumes of 

 documents published by the United States since 1868. These can be 

 delivered to the Peruvian consul at New York free of charge. The re- 

 turns of publications on the part of Peru, which should be full and in 

 as complete series as possible, should be delivered free of charge to the 

 United States consul atCallao. The returns will be placed in the Library 

 of Congress in accordance with existing law. The Peruvian Govei;n- 

 ment, if desirous of renewing its acceptance of the proposition of the 

 Institution, should, of course, furnish us with the name of the depart- 

 ment designated to receive the books transmitted on behalf of the 

 United States. 



We should also be pleased to have the Peruvian department to which 

 the business of the exchange is assigned take charge of and distribute 

 the miscellaneous scientific exchanges presented by societies and indi- 

 viduals, through the Smithsonian Institution, to correspondents in that 

 country, the Institution guaranteeing a like service for any parcels of 

 similar character for the United States and Europe. 

 Very respectfully, etc., 



Spencer F. Baird. 



Secretary. 



The Secretary of State to Frof. Spencer F. Baird. 



Washington, A ugust 2, 1886. 

 Sir : I transmit, with a reference to a recent letter of your Institu- 

 tion on the same subject, a copy of a communication from" Mr. Elmore, 

 the late minister of Peru to the United States, now in Washington, 

 and beg to suggest that the cases of books which your Institution has 

 for consignment to the Peruvian Government may be forwarded as de- 

 sired, if agreeable to your methods. 

 I am, etc., 



T. F. Bayard. 



[Inclosure.] 



Mr. Elmore to the Secretary of State. 



Washington, July 31, 1886. 

 My Dear Sik: I take the liberty to call your atteutiou to a matter of great inter- 

 est and of much iniportauce for Pern, and which, if the snggestiou I am about to 

 make is carried out, will be a source of real joy among all Peruvians who desire to 



