REPORT ON EXCHANGES. 125 



[The .draft referred to in Mr. de Bounder de Melsbroeck's letter as in- 

 closure C, differs from the adopted text in the following respect: 



After Article 3 the following words are inserted: "This list shall be 

 corrected and completed each year and regularly addressed to all the 

 exchange bureaus. 7 ' 



Article 4 of the adopted text is omitted. 



Article 5 of the adopted text becomes Article 4 of this draft, and a 

 similar change is made in each article (i. e., its numbers diminished by 

 one) up to Article 10, which is a new article added in this dratt. 



Article 9 of the adopted text becomes Article 8 of this draft. 



It is here divided into two sections, and is identical with Article 8 of 

 the modified text given in parallel columns with that adopted. 



Article 10 of the adopted text becomes Article 9 of this draft. 



Article 10 of this draft is, as above stated, an entirely new one, and 

 reads as follows : 



Article 10. The Governments concerned agree, moreover, to transmit 

 to the legislative chambers of each contracting state, without the in- 

 tervention of the exchange bureaus one copy [two copies] of their official 

 newspaper and of their annals and parliamentary documents. 



Articles 11 and 12 of this draft are identical with Articles 11 and 12 

 of the adopted text.] m 



From the Smithsonian Institution, February 27, 1883, to the Secretary of 



State. 



Sir : Your letter of January 10, inclosing a communication from the 

 Belgian minister in Washington, was duly received, but I have delayed 

 an answer in order to give a careful cousideration to the various ques- 

 tions involved. 



The proposition to have a conference of official delegates at Brussels 

 on the 10th of April next is, of course, a practical one ; but, on its ac- 

 ceptance by the United States, it will be necessary to determine whether 

 the American minister in Belgium or some other official of the State De- 

 partment in Europe can be charged with the duty, or whether it will be 

 expedient to send some one from Washington who has had a thorough 

 practical acquaintance with the system now iu operation by the Smith- 

 sonian Institution and who can point out any technical difficulties or in- 

 conveniences. Perhaps, in any event, such ageut should be on hand to 

 make the necessary explanations and suggestions. 



Mr. George H. Boehmer, the author of the report of the Institution 

 to the Department on this very subject, could be spared for this pur- 

 pose ; but the cost of his mission could not conveniently be defrayed 

 from the funds of the- Institution, or from the appropriations of Con- 

 gress for the purpose of international exchanges. Whether the State 

 Department has the means at its command to send him, or whether it 

 will be expedient to ask for a moderate appropriation of say $500 is for 

 you to decide. 



