116 REPORT ON EXCHANGES. 



I also send yott l'J copies of the report of the Proceedings of the Con- 

 ference, with the British legation's note. 



1 strongly recommend to your notice the position of the British Govern- 

 ment concerning exchanges of publications. By defining clearly and con- 

 cisely what publications she is willing to exchange and by confining the 

 offer to certain Governments, she assumes no great burden without 

 being sure of an equivalent return. It is a position which appears to 

 me to recommend itself to the large and powerful countries, and to pro- 

 tect them from the inequal exchanges involved by a convention with 

 the smaller and less literate countries. 



In the proof copy of the proceedings (inclosure 5 to my No. 114) no 

 mention of the British note was made, and it is consequently not men- 

 tioned in the translation thereof (inclosure 6 to No. 114). Should the lat- 

 ter be published, I respectfully suggest that it be revised so as to make 

 it a translation of the completed edition of the Proceedings of the Con- 

 ference, herewith transmitted. 



I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, 



Nicholas Fish. 



Letter from the Department of State, October 15, 1883, to Prof. Spencer F. 



Baird. 



Sir : With reference to previous correspondence in regard to the es- 

 tablishment of a complete exchange of public documents between this 

 country and Great Britain, I have the honor to inclose herewith copies 

 of correspondence between this Department and the British legation 

 in regard to certain publications which Her Britannic Majesty's Gov- 

 ernment has presented k> the National Library of the United States in 

 response to the request made through this Department for certain works 

 needed to complete to the present date the collection of British docu- 

 ments in that library. 



I am, sir, your obedient servant, 

 Fred'k T. Frelinghuysen. 



(Inclosure.) — From the British Minister, Washington, October 8, 1883, to 

 the Department of State. 



Sir : Referring to your note of 1st June last respecting the inter- 

 change of Parliamentary papers, I have the honor to inform you for 

 the information of Professor Baird of the Smithsonian Institute, through 

 whose agency the exchange of the future publications of the two Gov- 

 ernments is to be regulated, that the controller of Her Majesty's sta- 

 tionery office has been authorized to supply the agent of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution in London with the works which are mentioned in 

 the inclosed list for the National Library of the United States. 



The trustees of the British Museum, expressing their thanks to the 

 United States Government for the ofter to supply that institution with 

 any Government publications that might be wanting, have stated that 

 they are not aware of any deficiencies which need to be supplied, but 



