REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 15 



the subject was referred to bis excellency Seiior Don Felipe Meudez de 

 Vigo, minister from Spain ; through whose courteous efforts, a very sat- 

 isfactory arrangement has been effected, whereby the governor-general 

 of Cuba, in his oflcial capacity, takes charge of our packages and de- 

 livers them to the University of Havana f )r distribution to their re- 

 spective addresses. This arrjngemeut constitutes in effect an additional 

 link in the chain of international government agencies already referred to. 



The total number of establishments outside of the United States with 

 which correspondence and exchange have been condu(;ted amounts to 

 2,003 — an increase of about 120 over the list of 1870. The number of 

 packages received from Europe for distribution in the United States 

 during the past year amounted to G,G70; the number of packages from 

 the United States received for transmission abroad has amounted to 

 14,175 ; making an aggregate of 20,845 packages. 



The parcels received from Europe for distribution in America are gen- 

 erally forwarded to their respective destinations in smaller bundles, or 

 in paper wrappers. The parcels received for transmission to foreign 

 countries are carefully i)acked in boxes. Of these, there were shipped 

 during the past year 208; occupying a bulk of 1,070 cubic feet, and 

 weighing 00,300 pounds. 



As heretofore, the Institution is greatly indebted to the lines of ocean 

 steamers between the United States and other countries of the world ; 

 and grateful acknowledgment is due particularly to the agents of the 

 following companies for llie continuation of their important favors in 

 the free transmission of Smithsonian packages : Anchor Steamship Com- 

 pany, Atlas Steamship Company, Compagnie Generale Transatlautique, 

 Cunard Steamship Company, Hamburg American Packet Company, 

 Inman Steamship Company, Merchn,nts' Line of Steamers, ISTetherlands 

 American Steam Navigation Company, New York and Brazil Steamship 

 Company, New York and Mexico Steamship Company, North German 

 Lloyds Steamship Company, Pacific Mail Steam shi]) Company, Pacific 

 Steam Navigation Comi)any, Panama Eailroad Company, Steamship 

 Lines for Brazil, Texas, Florida, and Nassau, N. P., White Cross Line 

 of Antwerp. 



The railroad companies connecting Washington and Baltimore and 

 New York have also continued their fiivor of special rates of charges for 

 freight. These are the Pennsylvania Eailroad, the Baltimore and Ohio 

 Eailroad, and the Baltimore and Potomac Eailroad. 



Acknowledgments are also due to the foreign ministers and consuls 

 of the various governments, for their assistance in taking charge of the 

 packages intended for the countries which they respectively represent, 

 and transmitting them with care to their destination. 



In connection with the establishment of definite relations between 

 this Institution and the French commission of international exchanges 

 (a branch of the department of the ministry of public instruction), the 

 French Transatlantic Steamship Company has, through its agent, M. 



