144 REPORT ON EXCHANGES. 



adhesion of the United States, both of which have not a centralized 

 Government in respect of public instruction, each State or county hav- 

 ing a separate system. 



In monarchical countries the Government controls the majority of 

 educational establishments and also subsidizes a large number of socie- 

 ties. Their publications, therefore, would, in a measure, be available 

 to the Government for exchange purposes. But the case does not apply 

 to a republic. 



All the delegates who favored the passage of this paragraph gave it 

 only a secondary importance ; hence its defeat was easily obtained. 



Art. 4. It was suggested to furnish as many as 15 or 20 copies to each 

 bureau to enable them to supply the principal libraries. This, however, 

 was opposed by the delegate from Austria-Hungary, who thinks one 

 copy of each work sufficient for each country. 



The Smithsonian Institution, on behalf of Congress, under the existing 

 laws could not give more than one copy to each country, and even at 

 this rate only 8 copies are left for distribution. 



Art. 5. The question of forms, receipts, &c, appears to be satisfac- 

 torily settled by the Smithsonian blanks, which are the result of an 

 experience of many men and extending over many years. 



Art. 6. This paragraph has been opposed by the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution since its first introduction for several good reasons, which were ex- 

 plained by the United States delegate at the convention. The Smith- 

 sonian Institution, on behalf of the Government, should protest against 

 its passage, which would work great injustice to the United States. 



Art. 7 (Sec. 2). The delegates of Austria-Hungary and of Switzerland 

 explain that the duty of the bureaus of exchanges should be confined 

 to Government publications, and state that in their respective countries 

 the scientific societies have established a system of exchanges between 

 themselves. 



The delegate from France proposes that only the exchange of Gov- 

 ernment documents shall be obligatory, while the bureaus may serve as 

 intermediary for the exchange of the others, so as to form for that ex- 

 change a sort of well-organized postal service. 



To the Smithsonian Institution, the greater part of whose library has 

 been the direct result of exchange, and in " taking the initiative to bring 

 about the establishment of those relations" (repudiated by the 2d sec- 

 tion of the 7th Article), the importance to itself, no less than to the great 

 body of learned societies, of the liberal interchange of scientific transac- 

 tions and journals is too well recognized to be lightly surrendered. 



Another supplementary point discussed by the convention and ac- 

 cepted by all the delegates, except those of the United States, France, 

 and Switzerland, provides : 



Art. 1. Apart from the obligations arising from Article 2 of the general 

 convention concerning the exchange of official documents and of scientific 



