REPORT ON EXCHANGES. 45 



study and know better tlie United States and who wish to develop their own coun- 

 try by the arts of peace. I refer to the execution of the agreement in 1867 between 

 Peru aud the United States to exchange their respective Government publications. 



This system of international exchanges, authorized by an act of Congress, March 

 2, lw67, proposed to foreign nations, through the State Department, in a circular by 

 the Smithsonian Institution, May 16, 1867, was " accepted in all of its terms" by a 

 decree of the President of Peru on 27th December, 18157. (See pages 58 and 59 of "A 

 History of the Smithsonian Exchanges," by George H. Boehmer, from the Smith- 

 sonian Report for 1881.) 



Through causes too long to state in this letter the exchange with Peru was imper- 

 fectly carried out, or not at all. Of course Peru, under any circumstances, would be 

 benefited by the exchange more than the United States; but it is precisely on this 

 account that I now beg to be allo^ved to address you on the subject, because my ob- 

 ject is to request you to do Peru a great service, now needed more than at any time 

 before. 



It is known that one of the first acts of the Chilians when they occupied Lima in 

 1881 was to sack and destroy or carry away completely the .whole of the old and 

 valuable library of Lima. The Peruvian Government in 1883 began to take steps to 

 form a new library, which has been created, having at present about 30,000 volumes, 

 mostly the gift of foreign governments and institutions and of literary men and 

 other private individuals. 



During Secretary Frelinghnysen's time I made some efforts to obtain a few works 

 of interest from this country, which in 1884 I presented to the new national library 

 of Lima. But most of the United States publications destined for Peru since 1868 

 are kept in deposit, packed up in boxes, in the Smithsonian Institution, awaiting the 

 order of your Government to be sent to the Peruvian Government, who will in return 

 send to the Smithsonian Institution, for the Library of Congress, a full set of the offi- 

 cial aud other publications of Peru. 



As now, after many years of disorder, Peru has a regularly elected constitutional 

 government, the opportunity to send the Smithsonian exchanges to Peru is most 

 admirable, aud the benefit you will confer on Peru will be very great and will be 

 fully appreciated. 



On the 9th of August, probablj', a gentleman of New York, intimately connected 

 with the conmierce of Peru, and whose firm (that of Messrs. W. R. Grace & Co., Han- 

 over Square, New York) holds important contracts with the Peruvian Government, 

 leaves for Lima. During a very long time no opportunity so good as this will pre- 

 sent itself to have the valuable Smithsonian collection sent to Peru. The books are 

 ready, packed up in about eighteen cases (measuring about 50 cubic feet), and con- 

 taining over 1,000 volumes. 



The United States Government would have no expense in this matter. As usnal, 

 the Smithsonian Institution would forward the cases to. New York, and Messrs. W. 

 R. Grace & Co. would attend to the shipping for accouut of the Peruvian Govern- 

 ment. 



I earnestly beg you, Mr. Secretary, to let the books be sent at once to the Govern- 

 ment of Peru, as, going as they would, under the personal care of Mr. W. R. Grace, 

 they would arrive with the greatest safety. The Smithsonian Institution only awaits 

 your directions to forward the cases to New York. 

 Believe me, etc., 



J. F. Elmore. 



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



Washington, D. C, August 9, 1886. 

 Sir: Referriug to your communication of Au;;ust 2, in reply to a 

 letter from this Institution on the same subject, I beg to say that your 

 suggestion with reference "to the publications of the United States for 

 the Government of Peru has been favorably considered, aud twenty 

 boxes containing the same are forwarded to the care of Messrs. Grace 

 & Co., in New York, for shipment to Peru. 



I have the honor to be, etc., S. F. Baird, 



Secretary. 



The Secretary of State to Prof S. F. Baird. 



Washington, November 3, 1886, 

 Sir : I have to say, in further reply to your letter of the 2d July last, 

 that the Peruvian Government is anxious to continue the arrangements 



