148 REPORT ON EXCHANGES. 



At present all the Governments of the several countries engaged in 

 this system of international exchanges have indicated some public li- 

 brary as the recipient of what may be sent from the United States, 

 and in most cases the actual agent of collection and distribution. The 

 transmissions themselves, however, are made by an international bureau. 



To make daily sendings of the publications in question would involve 

 much additional trouble and very great expense for postage; and I 

 would suggest that the State Department take the necessary measures 

 to bring to the notice of the International Postal Union the propriety 

 of considering all matter of this kind as privileged, and to be forwarded 

 free. As all the great nations of the world are members of the Union, 

 and each Government collects its postages in advance, it will simply 

 amount to the relinquishing by each of the postal charges on its own 

 official matter. It would seem quite proper, in addition, that the frank 

 should extend to all official correspondence of the United States Gov- 

 ernment with parties outside of its limits, although American members 

 of the Postal Convention appear to have been largely instrumental in 

 preventing this simplification of the official intercourse. 



In view of all these circumstances, it would, I think, be quite proper 

 to notify Minister Fish that, while the United States accepts the general 

 principle of this supplementary exchange, formal action and participa- 

 tion must be deferred until the pleasure of the Joint Committee of the 

 Library of Congress can be ascertained. 



In this connection I would inquire whether it might not simplify mat- 

 ters to deliver to the agents in Washington of the respective Govern- 

 ments the publications to be forwarded under this regulation. In the 

 contrary event, each country should be requested to designate a specific 

 address to which the publications in question should be transmitted. 



I may mention that at present a definite exchange of the publications 

 in question has already been indicated through the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution between the United States House of Eepresentatives and the 

 Legislative Chambers of France, in virtue of a proposition to that effect 

 from France, and formally accepted by resolution of the House of Eep- 

 resentatives. These, however, are sent in bulk, or by sessions, and not 

 day by day as proposed. 



Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

 Spencer F. Baird. 



From the Department of State, September 26, 1883, to the Smithsonian 



Institution. 



Sir: Acknowledging the receipt of various letters from you bearing 

 date the 20th August last, touching different features of the question 

 of the international exchange of documents, which formed the subject 

 of consideration at a recent conference in Brussels, I beg to inclose here- 

 with a printed report of the proceedings of the conference, and to ob- 

 serve that the Belgian Government informs the Department through its 



