REPORT OP THE SECRETARY. 43 



quantities of supplies for Mr. Turner or other agents of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution in the Provinces might be sent in by it to several 

 ports of entry free of duty, the collectors of customs at Montreal, 

 Quebec, and Victoria being notified to that effect. Use was made of 

 this privilege, not only in connection with Mr. Turner's work, but also 

 in the sending of alcohol to Mr. James G. Swan preliminary to his re- 

 searches of the season in the Queen Charlotte Islands. 



Transportation Facilities. — The occasion of having a large quantity of 

 freight to forward to London, for the service of the International Fish- 

 ery Exhibition in that city, made it of great importance to secure as low 

 rates as possible, the quantity to be shipped representing an aggregate 

 of about 24,000 cubic feet, or 600 measurement tons. 



The Pennsylvania Kailroad Company promptly responded to an appeal 

 for aid by furnishing cars at most favorable rates, to be loaded by the 

 Institution, and made very satisfactory arrangements in regard to light- 

 erage of the packages and their transfer to the steamers. 



An arrangement was also made with Messrs. Patton, Vickers & Co., 

 agents of the Monarch Line of steamers, plying between New York and 

 London direct, by which the goods were carried at reduced rates for the 

 round trip. 



The gentlemen just referred to also kindly agreed to carry the regu- 

 lar boxes of international exchanges system of the Institution free of 

 charge, in this respect following out the liberal example of all the other 

 lines between New York and the rest of the world. 



Very favorable offers for freights between New York and Wash- 

 ington have also been made by the Inland and Seaboard Coasting Com- . 

 pany, and accepted by the Institution. 



International and State Exhibitions. — Since the International Exhibi- 

 tion in Philadelphia, in 1876, exhibitions of a somewhat similar char- 

 acter, although more limited, have been held in many of the cities of the 

 United States, these usually opening in August or September and lasting 

 till towards the end of the year. Application is usually made to the In- 

 stitution by the directors of these organizations for the loan of specimens 

 from the National Museum. In most cases, however, it has not been 

 considered expedient to take any action, excepting in cases where impor- 

 tant contributions to the National Museum could be expected in return, 

 or where Congress definitely authorized a loan in the particular case. It 

 is not generally understood that, excepting where the Museum is to be 

 benefited, there is no authority for allowing any specimens to leave the 

 walls of the Museum buildings, and it was only by direct authority of 

 Congress that displays were made at Philadelphia and in the Fishery 

 Exhibitions at Berlin and London. 



Quite a large collection, however, of duplicate specimeus was fur- 

 nished for exhibition at the International Exposition held at Louisville 

 during the year 1883, this consisting, in large part, of showy objects, 

 such as an ethnological display from Alaska, the skeleton of a whale, 



