134 REPORT ON EXCHANGES. 



in the session of the 14th instant, upon my demand that in the final 

 protocol mention should be made that I had reserved the rights of 

 the United States in regard to this article. 



The president then suggested the adoption of the article in the fol- 

 lowing form : 



" Pour l'expedition a l'exterieur chaque £tat se charge des frais 

 d'emballage et de port jusqu'a destination. Toutefois, quand l'expedi- 

 tion se fera par mer, des arrangements particuliers regleront la part de 

 chaque etat dans les frais de transport." 



(Translation : For shipment to foreign countries, each state assumes 

 the cost of packing and of transportation to destination. When, how- 

 ever, the shipment is to be made by sea, special arrangements shall de- 

 termine the proportion of each state in the cost of transportation.) 



Which was adopted. 



Article 8 (become Article 7) was then taken up, and gave rise to a 

 long discussion. 



The suppression of the last paragraph of Article 2 had left the con- 

 vention relating solely to the obligatory exchanges of official documents, 

 parliamentary and administrative. 



- I felt that the omission of a provision creating a voluntary channel 

 for the exchange of literary and scientific societies would be a most 

 regrettable result, and that it would seriously interfere with one of the 

 most useful and extended means of spreading information and knowl- 

 edge. 



The enactment of the provision, although merely optional in its char- 

 acter, would materially aid the Smithsonian in carrying out this, in Mr. 

 Boehmer's opinion, " the most important branch of its operations." 



It would be of equal benefit in case the bureau of exchanges were to 

 be transferred to the Department of State or any other branch of the 

 Government. I therefore assumed that I was carrying out your wishes 

 in endeavoring to secure its retention, if not in its letter, at least in its 

 spirit. 



The text as it now stands was adopted to avoid a pleonasm in the 

 former French text, and to define more clearly the societies whose publi- 

 cations may be exchanged. 



There is no greater obligation created than in the former convention, 

 and the result may be considered as merely an improvement in the 

 phraseology of the text. 



The discussion of this article is worthy of a perusal, and for its full 

 comprehension that of Article 2 should be also consulted. I hope my 

 remarks in favor of its retention will merit your approval. 



Article 9 (now become Article 8) was adopted with the omission of 

 the second paragraph, the latter wish being expressed in the final pro- 

 tocol. 



Article 10 (the new proposal of the Belgian Government) is as follows: 



" The respective Governments further agree to cause to be sent to the 



