86 



ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 192 8 



The number and weight of the packages of different classes are 

 given in the following table : 



In a letter to the American legation in Peking regarding the inter- 

 change of governmental documents between China and the United 

 States the Metropolitan Library in Peking, which in 1926 was desig- 

 nated by the Chinese Government as the depository library for all 

 official publications of foreign governments received by China 

 through the International Exchange Service, makes the following 

 statement : 



Special mention slioukl be made of the monthly consignments of govern- 

 mental documents received from the Smithsonian Institution. The Metropolitan 

 Library maintains a reference card catalogue containing general and specific 

 information concerning these publications and endeavors to furnish informa- 

 tion to inquirers, either in person or by mail, involving the material over which 

 it has custody. 



The official publications of the United States forwarded to China previous 

 to 1926 were scattered in different places. The Library of the Foreign Office, 

 Peking ; the Library of the Science Society, Nanking ; and the Library of the 

 Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai, are the three places where a portion of these 

 publications are kept. It is hoped that these publications will eventually be 

 concentrated in one large library where a complete file is available for refer- 

 ence and research. 



The Metropolitan Library further adds in its letter to the legation: 



In writing to the Department of State will you be good enough to convey our 

 high appreciation of the efficient service which the Smithsonian Institution has 

 been rendering to the Metropolitan Library. 



The Smithsonian occasionally receives letters from its correspond- 

 ents testifying to the usefulness of the International Exchange Serv- 

 ice and expressing appreciation of the help rendered in diffusing 

 knowledge by distributing scientific and literary publications. 

 Among such communications received during the past year was one 



